Santa Cruz CA Firefighters Lauded for Effort During Gunfight

Santa Cruz (CA) firefighters and paramedics rushed to the scene upon hearing word that two officershad been shot, reports KGO-TV San Francisco.

On the dispatch they heard before heading into the crossfire: “PD has another victim of a gunshot wound. Scene is not secure. Repeating, scene is not secure. Stage in the area at 16:08.”

Firefighters even shielded innocent bystanders from bullets.

“We don’t respond with officers down. We don’t ever expect to go on that call. It’s one that we don’t want to go to,” said Santa Cruz Battalion Chief Rob Young.

But that’s exactly where Santa Cruz firefighters found themselves on Tuesday. a fire department ladder truck, an engine and a battalion chief all responded to the call for help when detectives Sgt. Loran “Butch” Baker and Elizabeth Butler were shot. The crews were attending to the detectives when shooter Jeremy Goulet returned to the area and began firing at officers nearby.

“They took cover behind the truck and took some citizens. One lady was put on the ground with one of our firefighters shielding her,” said Young.

Young won’t say which firefighter protected the woman, but he may have saved her life. The truck took four bullets.

“The firefighter who did this heroic act did so selflessly to protect them. That’s what we’re here for,” said Young. “The heroic efforts of the officers that went there to do their job and unfortunately lost their lives, they’re the heroes in this.”

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