Gunman ambushes firefighters, kills 2 heros; Takes own life

[TruthOut10]

WEBSTER, N.Y. -- Authorities say four firefighters were shot, two of them killed while responding to a house fire in western New York.

Officials in the town of Webster tell local media outlets that someone shot at firefighters around 6 a.m. Monday when they arrived at the scene of the blaze just east of Rochester.

Two responding firefighters are being treated for gunshot wounds. Two other firefighters were killed in the hail of bullets.

The dead are Lt. Mike Chiapperini, 43, a volunteer firefighter and Webster Police Department’s public information officer, and firefighter Tomasz Kaczowka.

Webster Police Chief Gerald Pickering told reporters that the shooter was killed by a gunshot. It's unclear whether the shot was self-inflicted.

Pickering said the firefighters were shot at when they pulled up to a house in the 100 block of Lake Road. One firefighter was able to flee the scene, while the other three were "pinned down at the location." A SWAT team responded, rescued the firefighter who was alive and then engaged the suspect.

The crime scene is still active. No more details on the shootout are available.

4 Firefighters Shot, 2 Killed At Webster, New York Fire Scene; Shooter Dead (UPDATE)

 

[rightwinger]

This would not have happened if we armed our firefighters

 

[Katzndogz]

Are there any bets on whether this started out as a domestic disturbance?

 

[Katzndogz]

This would not have happened if we armed our firefighters

Armed escorts for firefighters just like they do in Los Angeles.

Almost forgot, armed escorts for firefighters AND paramedics.

 

[rightwinger]

This would not have happened if we armed our firefighters

Armed escorts for firefighters just like they do in Los Angeles.

Almost forgot, armed escorts for firefighters AND paramedics.

And pizza delivery guys

 

[TruthSeeker56]

This whole story must be a HOAX.

New York has the strictest gun control laws in the entire United States.

This sort of thing is IMPOSSIBLE, right?

 

[TruthOut10]

The Webster, New York man who fired on firefighters responding to a blaze, killing two, is a felon convicted of manslaughter, according to local police. Webster Police Chief Gerald Pickering told a press conference this morning that the suspect was William Spengler, who served roughly 18 years on manslaughter charges for killing his 92 year old grandmother. Spengler had a number of run-ins with the police after that, according to Pickering.

Because Spengler was convicted a felon, he was supposed to be legally barred from owning a gun. However, because of the so-called “gun show loophole” — a National Rifle Assocation (NRA) supported-policy that allows “private” gun sales to take place without background checks — it’s possible Spengler could have purchased his weapon without the seller even checking whether he could legally own a gun or had a history of violence. Guns bought in this manner are used in 80 percent of violent firearm crimes across the country. Moreover, it’s very easy, as a consequence of another set of NRA-supported changes to federal law, for some felons to get their right to own guns reinstated.

When asked about the nature of Spengler’s murderous assault on the firefighters, Pickering said that, from what they could tell so far, “it was a trap.”

Longtime Criminal Set A Trap To Murder Firefighters, Say Police | ThinkProgress

 

[TruthOut10]

This whole story must be a HOAX.

New York has the strictest gun control laws in the entire United States.

This sort of thing is IMPOSSIBLE, right?

You fail attempt of sarcasm failed miserably, sickening that you would try to make light of this story after reading that 2 Firemen were killed and then my follow up story, shedding light that it was a trap set by this criminal.

Sometimes the best thing to say is NOTHING in certain situations.

 

[TruthSeeker56]

This whole story must be a HOAX.

New York has the strictest gun control laws in the entire United States.

This sort of thing is IMPOSSIBLE, right?

You fail attempt of sarcasm failed miserably, sickening that you would try to make light of this story after reading that 2 Firemen were killed and then my follow up story, shedding light that it was a trap set by this criminal.

Sometimes the best thing to say is NOTHING in certain situations.

Sickening that you would use the murders of firemen in New York by a gun-wielding felon, to advance your agenda of disarming law-abiding American citizens.

Why don't you support the rights of law-abiding citizens to protect themselves from CRIMINALS and FELONS?

Why do you mourn the deaths of these firemen, while at the same time refusing to allow them to protect themselves while on the job?

 

[JakeStarkey]

You loon gun nut from the far right and you gun banner from the far left do not serve a useful purpose.

 

[Yurt]

You loon gun nut from the far right and you gun banner from the far left do not serve a useful purpose.

anyone on the far spectrum of politics really doesn't serve much of a purpose. since you're far left, you have no useful purpose.

 

[AmyNation]

Criminals buy their guns the same way everyone else does. People should stop focusing on banning types of guns and turn their attention to illegal guns.

 

[TruthOut10]

This whole story must be a HOAX.

New York has the strictest gun control laws in the entire United States.

This sort of thing is IMPOSSIBLE, right?

You fail attempt of sarcasm failed miserably, sickening that you would try to make light of this story after reading that 2 Firemen were killed and then my follow up story, shedding light that it was a trap set by this criminal.

Sometimes the best thing to say is NOTHING in certain situations.

Sickening that you would use the murders of firemen in New York by a gun-wielding felon, to advance your agenda of disarming law-abiding American citizens.

Why don't you support the rights of law-abiding citizens to protect themselves from CRIMINALS and FELONS?

Why do you mourn the deaths of these firemen, while at the same time refusing to allow them to protect themselves while on the job?

Easily seen move coming, busted you out of your callous response.. So the game is now to blame me for politicizing the story. Grow up and learn to take some responsibility for your own words and quit this weak attempt to flip it on me.

 

[beagle9]

WEBSTER, N.Y. -- Authorities say four firefighters were shot, two of them killed while responding to a house fire in western New York.

Officials in the town of Webster tell local media outlets that someone shot at firefighters around 6 a.m. Monday when they arrived at the scene of the blaze just east of Rochester.

Two responding firefighters are being treated for gunshot wounds. Two other firefighters were killed in the hail of bullets.

The dead are Lt. Mike Chiapperini, 43, a volunteer firefighter and Webster Police Department’s public information officer, and firefighter Tomasz Kaczowka.

Webster Police Chief Gerald Pickering told reporters that the shooter was killed by a gunshot. It's unclear whether the shot was self-inflicted.

Pickering said the firefighters were shot at when they pulled up to a house in the 100 block of Lake Road. One firefighter was able to flee the scene, while the other three were "pinned down at the location." A SWAT team responded, rescued the firefighter who was alive and then engaged the suspect.

The crime scene is still active. No more details on the shootout are available.

4 Firefighters Shot, 2 Killed At Webster, New York Fire Scene; Shooter Dead (UPDATE)

How someone who killed his family with a claw hammer is back out on the street is just simply horrific and amazing all at the same time.... I would want to know about the idiot judge or panel who let this killer back out on the loose, because now some poor family members are missing their husbands or friends, and this from them coming home ever again upon this earth.

This should be investigated to the hilt, and the shock waves should extend far beyond the findings after the investigation is done.

Again the government system fails America..

 

[sfcalifornia]

Criminals buy their guns the same way everyone else does. People should stop focusing on banning types of guns and turn their attention to illegal guns.

I think people should continue to focus on banning types of guns in addition to turning their attention as to why we are so quick to use a gun to settle road rage incidences and other stupid, petty squabbles. I think we should focus on figuring out the best way to keep guns away from the mentally unstable. I think we should focus on amending the 2nd Amendment. I think we should focus on what's wrong with our society, why we are so prone to gun violence and what it is that other developed countries are doing and why they have so little gun violence. We have a lot of focusing to do in many areas. No quick fix.

 

[Aristotle]

This would not have happened if we armed our firefighters

Armed escorts for firefighters just like they do in Los Angeles.

Almost forgot, armed escorts for firefighters AND paramedics.

I live in Los Angeles who other than EMT's, and police are armed escorts?

EDIT: Actually most EMT's are not armed but in some counties they do wear ballistic vest

 

[JakeStarkey]

Yurt You Squirt You Sound Hurt.

Hey, you a far winger, not a mainstreamer, and let's see what you have to say if it is worthwile. Tell ya right now, podjo if you are die hard banner or a die hard nut, just crawl into a corner and work off your dry drunk.

You loon gun nut from the far right and you gun banner from the far left do not serve a useful purpose.

anyone on the far spectrum of politics really doesn't serve much of a purpose. since you're far left, you have no useful purpose.

 

[bucs90]

Fire 'trap': Gunman dead after killing 2 firefighters at scene of Western NY blaze | Fox News

2 heroic firefighters were cowardly ambushed, and killed, and 2 others wounded. There has been a trend over the last few years of ambushes on cops, and now this coward does it to firemen, who do nothing more than respond to live saving incidents unarmed. Once the armed cops showed up, the coward took his own life.

The anti-government rhetoric being spewed around is dangerous. We are free to protest our government peacefully. But we should be responsible also, as when it gets to a point, shit like this happens, as the increasing trend of ambushes on first responders continues.

Between cowardly ambushes like this, and the constant push for pay/benefits/retirement cuts, how can we also wonder why they are often in such bad moods? This is sickening. And I fear many whackos in our population will continue to see the anti-government furor in our country, and take it to cowardly and deadly extremes like this. God bless the victims.

 

[Zoom]

Another gun nut? I wonder if he is a gun nut, is he a nra member.

 

[bucs90]

Cops and firemen obviously have an emotional place in my heart, and I support them daily. We rightfully shower praise on those who "protect us" abroad, but sometimes forget that among those who protect us are the ones who do it inside our own borders.