A D.C. firefighter shot his girlfriend, who is also a D.C. firefighter, and her parents before killing himself Wednesday afternoon, police and fire officials said.
The shooting occurred at about 4 p.m. at a home in the 6700 block of Hastings Drive in Seat Pleasant, Prince George's County police said. The girlfriend, who was not identified but said to be in her 20s, was taken to an area hospital in critical condition.
Officer Henry Tippett said the parents, both in their 60s, were expected to survive.
The shooter was pronounced dead at the scene.
Alan Etter, a fire department spokesman, acknowledged that two of the people involved in the shooting were fire department employees, but said he could not identify them.
"We are aware that two of our employees are involved in this tragedy," he said. "Obviously our condolences are with their families."
Police did not identify the shooter, but multiple D.C. fire department sources said the man was Dante A. Paire, 22. The sources said the shooting victims were Jessica L. Wimbish and her parents, Jennifer A. Wimbish and Aubrey K. Wimbish. Miss Wimbish, who started on the job in 2005, was assigned to the fire department's Truck 16 in Southeast.
According to Maryland court records, Miss Wimbish in November 2007 filed for a temporary restraining order against Mr. Paire. The case was dismissed days after it was filed "at the request of the petitioner," according to court papers.
Court records show another woman filed a restraining order against Mr. Paire on Jan. 6. He was scheduled to have a hearing on the order Wednesday morning in Prince George's County District Court.
D.C. fire department records indicate a woman by the same name as the woman who filed for the latterrestraining order was listed as a wagon driver at Engine 20 in Tenleytown last year at the same time Mr. Paire served there. It was not clear Wednesday night whether Mr. Paire's former colleague was the one who filed for the restraining order.
Sources within the fire department said Mr. Paire was serving a suspension, and orders had been issued that he was not to be allowed on fire department property.
Mr. Paire was a 2005 graduate of the fire department's cadet program - a hiring program aimed at providing jobs for troubled city youth. He graduated from the program in September 2005 and was assigned to Engine 25 in Southeast. He was later assigned to Engine 20 in the Tenleytown neighborhood of Northwest and was serving there when he was suspended.
Republished with permission from The Washington Times
