A Los Angeles County fire captain is recovering after being critically injured in a shooting that fatally wounded another firefighter at a station in Agua Dulce.
The 54-year-old fire captain was airlifted following Tuesday’s shooting to Valencia’s Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital in critical but stable condition.
He was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds following the incident that occurred shortly before 11 a.m. at Fire Station 81.
A hospital official gave an update on the fire captain after he underwent surgery Tuesday.
“All life-threatening injuries have been addressed and the recovery process is ongoing at this time,” Dr. Contreras said.
Several sources have identified the fire captain as Arnoldo Sandoval, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Sandoval apparently tried to intervene in a dispute between the shooter, identified as 45-year-old Patrick Tatone, and the firefighter who was killed in the shooting, the Times reported.
“We don’t know what went down in that station, in that room, but I do know that that captain did whatever he could do to defend his personnel,” Los Angeles County Fire Department spokesperson Jonathan Matheny said.
After the shooting, the gunman returned to his house about 10 miles east of the station in Acton, where he barricaded himself before setting it on fire. He was later found dead, L.A. County fire Chief Daryl Osby said.
The firefighter killed in the shooting was identified Wednesday by the Los Angeles County coroner’s office as Tory Carlon. Family members had identified Carlon as the shooting victim earlier.
Carlon was a father and husband who had worked with the Fire Department for more than 20 years, fire officials said.
A vigil was held in Acton Park Tuesday night to honor Carlon and pray for the recovery of the wounded fire captain.
The vigil was attended by hundreds of firefighters and community members.
A GoFundMe page has also been set up to help the Carlon family.