1 Maryland firefighter dead, another injured after shooting

[WhiteTara]

Source: Mercury News

TEMPLE HILLS, Md. (AP) — Police are trying to determine why a person opened fire on firefighters who were responding to a call for help at a home in a Maryland suburb of Washington.

A firefighter was shot and killed while making a welfare check and another remains in serious condition, officials said. John Ulmshneider, 39, died Friday night, according to Prince George's County Police Department spokeswoman Julie Parker. She said Ulmshneider was a 13-year veteran of the department.

Department officials said in a statement that volunteer firefighter Kevin Swain, 19, also was shot, and was in serious condition. He was taken to a trauma center for treatment and is expected to recover.

Firefighters and police had gone to the Temple Hills home after being called by a person concerned the individual inside might be suffering from a medical condition, Prince George's County police Chief Henry P. Stawinski III said at a news conference.

When they arrived on the scene, the person inside was unresponsive, so they decided to force entry, he said. As that was happening, the person inside fired several rounds, striking two firefighters and the person who had initially made the call for a welfare check.

Read more: http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_29775497/1-maryland-firefighter-dead-another-injured-after-shooting

[valerief]

1. I thought only police could force entry. nt

[cstanleytech]

2. For welfare checks fire fighters in some areas can as well but its not done to often. nt

[JustADumbFireman]

8. I had to do it at 2:15 this morning for a fall victim.

We do it all the time.

[NutmegYankee]

3. If they are responding to an emergency, they can.

For instance, If I fell down my basement stairs breaking a leg and I call for help on my cell phone, firefighters or EMTs can break-in to get to me.

[JustADumbFireman]

7. I had to do exactly that at 2:15 this morning.

[NutmegYankee]

13. And we greatly appreciate you doing that.

This is a sad case; it appears the man inside had no idea people wanted to help him. The man's brother called for help from another location and wasn't able to contact the occupant to let him know family was there.

[kentauros]

5. I don't know what all the criteria is to enable that for them,

but it seems to include wildfires, too. My brother and SIL had evacuated due to a wildfire moving up the ravine behind their house. The firefighters didn't know they'd left already, but they attempted to break down the front door (he'd reinforced the part of the door-jamb where the locks engaged) though they were not successful. I think they broke a window then, to get in and make sure everyone had left.

I'm glad they did that, too, because that fire destroyed eighteen houses in their neighborhood, including one across the street from them and at the end of their circle.

[JustADumbFireman]

6. Of course we can do forcible entry. I had to do it at about 2:15 this morning...

for the victim of a fall who called 911. EMS found her door locked.

[elleng]

4. :-(

[romanic]

9. Our firefighters face dangers everyday

My heart goes out to this poor guy's family, just terrible.

[Skittles]

10. paranoid gun humpers

biggest cowards on the planet

[whistler162]

12. Nope diabetic.

[Blue_Tires]

17. That doesn't excuse anything...

[Eugene]

11. Police: Man Who Shot Firefighters Released From Custody

Source: Associated Press

Police: Man Who Shot Firefighters Released From Custody

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
TEMPLE HILLS, Md. — Apr 16, 2016, 8:31 PM ET

As police worked Saturday to determine why a person opened fire on firefighters who were responding to a call for help at a home in a Maryland suburb of Washington, they shooter was released from custody.

John Ulmschneider, a 13-year veteran of the Prince George's County Fire Department, died Friday night after he was shot while trying to enter a home to make a welfare check, police said.

Volunteer firefighter Kevin Swain, 19, also was shot, and was in serious but stable condition after coming out of surgery Saturday, department officials said. Swain, who authorities say was shot four times, is expected to survive.

Firefighters had gone to the Temple Hills home after the brother of the man who lived there told authorities he was concerned about the man's safety, said Mark Brady, spokesman for the fire department. The man said his brother had trouble controlling his blood sugar and recently blacked out. He told authorities he was worried because his brother wasn't answering the phone or the door and his car was parked in the driveway, Brady said.

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Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/maryland-firefighters-critical-shot-38439458

[Vinca]

14. Isn't that what the "castle doctrine" is?

Maybe the guy was asleep and woke up to hear people breaking into his house. Tragic, but that's what happens in a country that worships guns above everything else.

[NutmegYankee]

15. Normally Castle Doctrine requires you were in fear of death or serious injury.

Meeting that test means you should at least make verbal contact with someone in the home, ideally warning them of severe consequences. Someone interested in property or money will flee. Obviously if someone has a weapon or attacks you, reason says that you are in danger of death.

If you are not in serious danger, the legal rule is force may be used, but not legal force. For instance, if a drunk breaks in and is just stumbling around in my house, I may use reasonable non-lethal force to get him out of the house, but I can't shoot him just because he's inside.

The release is more likely tied to the difficulty of establishing a case that can't be defeated by normal self defense affirmative defenses. Basically, the prosecutor would need to prove the man inside knew it was a firefighter before firing.

[laserhaas]

16. Our world is going nutz