Police: 77-year-old California man suspected of starting fire, shooting and killing first responder

A photo of slain firefighter Capt. Dave Rosa.
(Image credit: AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Police in Long Beach, California, said Monday that a 77-year-old man is suspected of starting a fire at his retirement home, then shooting firefighters when they responded to the call for help.

One of the first responders, Capt. Dave Rosa, 45, a 17-year veteran of the Long Beach Fire Department, was shot and killed. Another firefighter, Ernesto Torres, was wounded, and has since been released from the hospital. Authorities said a resident of the Covenant Manor facility was also shot and is in critical but stable condition. "This is a tough day," Long Beach Fire Chief Mike DuRee said.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.