Maryland Firefighter Dead in Triple Shooting

April 16, 2016
Prince George's County Firefighter/Paramedic John Ulmschneider was fatally shot while preforming a welfare check Friday night.

TEMPLE HILLS, Maryland -- Three people, including two Prince George's County firefighters, were shot during a response in Temple Hills Friday night.

Firefighter/Paramedic John Ulmschneider, a 13-year veteran, died at Southern Maryland Hospital, officials announced at a late night press conference.

Meanwhile, Morningside Fire Co. Firefighter Kevin Swain was in surgery at R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center.

A civilian, who made the call for firefighters to check on a resident on Sharon Road,  also was shot, but not seriously injured, officials said.

When firefighters arrived at the residence, they couldn't contact the man inside. Fearing he may be in need of medical assistance, firefighters entered the home. That's when shots rang out.

The suspect was taken into custody by Prince George's County Police.   

Ulmschneider is survived by a wife and child. Officials said his relatives were at the hospital with him.

In 2009, Ulmschneider responded to a man who who was trapped under the real wheels of a van after the parking brake failed.

Citizens were trying to lift the van off the man with a floor jack, but it had reached it's maximum lifting spread.

"Firefighter Ulmschneider managed to raise it enough...to remove the citizen from the underside of the truck," a write-up on the incident stated.

In January, East Pulaski, Ark. Fire Lt. Jason Adams, 29, was shot and killed by a ma who mistake the responder for an intruder.

Adams responded to the man's home after his wife called 911 when the man suffered a seizure. 

The man was later charged with manslaughter.

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