A naval station fire department in northern Illinois is in mourning after losing one of its own to suicide this past weekend.
The Great Lakes Fire Department at Naval Station Great Lakes announced in a social media post on Sunday that firefighter Jeff Peters had died suddenly the previous day.
Few details were provided by the department in the post, but the Lake & McHenry County Scanner reported on Monday that a medical examiner had ruled Peters' death a suicide. Peters was found in his car in Chicago dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
"Jeff was an outstanding firefighter, friend, and mentor," the department said. "He was a colleague we always looked forward to having on shift and a colleague we were always grateful to have on scene, no matter the call. The intelligence, friendship, and dedication Jeff brought to the department will be sorely missed."
A resident of Kenosha, WI, Peters was assigned to Tower 1931 at Naval Station Great Lakes, which is located on Lake Michigan about 38 miles north of Chicago.
"Great Lakes has a hole in its heart today," the department said. "The sudden loss of a true and trusted colleague and friend reminds us to cherish our brothers and sisters, and we hold on to the hope that brighter days lie ahead."
