Monday night, Youngstown, Ohio firefighters were dispatched to fight a house fire on the north side of town in the 2100 block of Elm Street around 10 p.m. An hour and a half later, fire crews cleaned up their equipment and prepared to leave the scene.
As they were leaving, a gunman in a nearby driveway on Halleck Street began shooting at the firemen with what is believed to be an assault rifle. Two bullets passed through the passenger compartment of Engine No. 7. A bullet cut through the coat of one firefighter, fortunately without injuring him. Another firefighter was not so lucky. He took a bullet through the leg. Several bullet holes were discovered in the fire truck as well.
Photo: Wikipedia
Police quickly arrived on scene with a K-9 unit. They set up a perimeter around the crime scene and began a search. A Mercedes SUV was seen in the area and police are actively looking for that vehicle. The suspect has not been apprehended.
According to WKBN, Fire Chief John O’Neill said this was a targeted shooting. “I don’t think they were stray bullets. There were a few shots taken and we have at least two bullet holes in the truck,” O’Niell said. “Now it’s going to be up to the police. Hopefully, the police will get on this and find out what’s going on and why they did it.”
Photo: Public Domain
In an update from Vindy, the victim, Lt. Paul Lutton, appears to be doing okay. He’s talkative and in good spirits at St. Elizabeth Hospital. If recovery goes well today, he should be sent home without surgery. Lutton was the driver of Engine No. 7.
Fire Investigator Capt. Kurt Wright said the house the firefighters were trying to save also caught fire in June of this year. The home is a total loss and was still smoldering Tuesday morning. Wright, along with police investigators and crime lab personnel are searching Halleck and Elm street for evidence.
Photo: Pixabay/Geralt
Until the suspect is apprehended, Youngstown Police will be accompanying firefighters on every call. O’Niell said, “Whenever our trucks are rolling, so are they.”
If you have any information regarding the Mercedes SUV or the shooting, please contact the Youngstown Police department at (330) 742-8950.
