Author: Cole Zercoe
By PoliceOne Staff
SPRINGFIELD, Ore. — Springfield police are investigating after firefighters responding to a structure fire early Wednesday morning were shot at in an ambush-style attack, leading officials to believe the fire was intended to lure responders into a trap, KVAL reported.
Firefighters were setting up equipment at the scene of a fully involved residential fire around 4 a.m. when bullets began flying.
Police arrived and were also shot at while fire personnel evacuated.
Springfield police Lt. Scott McKee told KVAL the suspect was located in a neighbor’s front yard.
“Officers heard a shot as they were getting ready to approach him,” McKee said. “[They] came around a corner and found that he had killed himself with his rifle.”
Officials believe the gunman was acting alone.
“We’re acting under the hypothesis that he started this fire with the intent of drawing an emergency response and then ambushing emergency responders,” McKee said.
Four homes were affected by the fire, with two or three completely devastated, KVAL reported. Six adults and one pet were affected, but no officers or firefighters were injured.