A Maryland firefighter was shot and killed and another wounded when they went to a suburban Washington home Friday on a call for help and the person inside opened fire, officials said.
Prince George’s County Police Department spokeswoman Julie Parker identified the deceased fireman as John Ulmschneider, 37, a husband and father of a 2-year-old girl. Parker said Ulmschneider was a 13-year veteran of the Prince George’s County Fire/Emergency Medical Services. He was shot in the upper body, officials said.
Police identified the injured firefighter as Kevin Swain, 19, a member of the Moingside Volunteer Fire Department.
Swain suffered multiple wounds to the body and was flown by helicopter to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, WTTG-TV reported.
Prince George’s County Police Chief Henry P. Stawinski III said at a news conference that firefighters and police had gone to the Temple Hills home around 7:30 p.m. Friday to check on the welfare of the occupant.
Officials said they were called to the home after a conceed relative of the occupant called 911.
After arriving on the scene and receiving no answer to knocks on the door, a decision was made to force entry into the house and check on the occupant, Prince George’s County Fire spokesman Mark Brady said Saturday.
“As persoel initiated forcible entry several shots were fired from within the house striking Ulmschneider, Swain” and the family member who called 911, Brady said.
The relative was shot in the shoulder and was in fair condition at the hospital, the spokesman said.
Officials said the gunman quickly surrendered to police. He was not immediately identified.
Stawinski said no officers fired weapons.
"Will it ever end? God, I hope so," Stawinski said.
"The main thing that we ask for the men and women of Prince George's County are your prayers, your thoughts," said Prince George's County Executive Rushe Baker.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.