Firefighters responding to a report of an explosion at a high-rise Long Beach apartment building Monday were met by gunfire, and two of them were wounded, authorities said.
The firefighters had been sent to Covenant Manor, an 11-story building serving low-income seniors in the 600 block of East Fourth Street, about 3:50 a.m. in response to a report of a possible explosion, according to the Long Beach Fire Department. A fire alarm had been set off, and the sprinkler system had been activated the LBFD reported.
Two firefighters were shot and wounded, and both were hospitalized, one in critical condition and the other, in stable condition with injuries that were not believed life-threatening, the LBFD reported.
The suspect was taken into custody, according to Long Beach police Sgt. Brad Johnson, who said police were interviewing the man. Other details were not released.
A witness told reporters that the suspect was a man who lived in the building.
Residents were evacuated from the building as a precaution and were being stopped from returning as an investigation was being carried out.
“The scene is active,” Johnson said about 7 a.m. “That’s why we still have the police line up — to make sure we’re protecting people and minimizing the risk to public safety.