Los Angeles

Woman Killed When Gunman Opens Fire at Scene of Harbor Gateway Blaze

Shots were fired as firefighters knocked down the blaze, leading to a horrific scene with a dead mother and a son in critical condition

A fire in Los Angeles' Harbor Gateway area became a far more complex situation that left a mother dead at the hands of her son, who then turned the gun on himself.

After firefighters arrived on the scene of a blaze at approximately 4:30 a.m., Jose Ramirez's mother asked firefighters to arrest her son. Authorities say that the request led to the 27-year-old going back into the house and returning with a weapon.

"He came back out with a firearm and shot his mother multiple times in the head," Captain Peter Whittingham of the LAPD South Bureau said. "The suspect then went back into the building." 

Firefighters took cover, and the gunfire prevented the firefighters from providing the gunshot victim aid, police said.

After a standoff, police said that Ramirez turned the gun on himself and was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

No firefighters were injured, but witnessing the brutal killing left the first-responders shocked from the experience according to a fire captain at the scene. The fire captain also shared that counseling was offered for the firefighters present at the scene.

Contact Us