Gassaway Firefighter, John D. Forbush lost his life attempting to rescue a mother and her child during a murder-suicide incident where their vehicle went into the Elk River.
On May 1, 2022, at approximately 2:30 p.m., 42-year-old LaTonya Bell of Cleveland, OH, drove into the Elk River near the area of the Braxton County Senior Citizens Center along Route 4, according to a Facebook post by the West Virginia State Fire Marshal.
Forbush, hearing the call, responded directly to the scene. Once on scene, Forbush radioed there appeared to be victims trapped inside the vehicle and immediately jumped into the river to rescue the victims.
During his efforts, Forbush was unable to free the victims from the vehicle and lost his life during the attempted rescue effort.
The victims in this incident included Bell, 8-year-old Havana Pipkins, and the 24-year-old Forbush. All three have been transported to the West Virginia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Charleston.
“John D. Forbush selflessly gave his life for strangers in need. He proudly served the Gassaway community for 4 years as a volunteer firefighter. His service to the community will forever be remembered,” the West Virginia State Fire Marshal said in a statement.
