The firefighter was grazed by a bullet fired by an 88-year-old man crews were trying to help. The firefighter's pager deflected the bullet and his injuries were minor. He was treated at the scene and released.
Berkeley's deputy fire chief says the firefighters from Station 1 never expected to be confronted by a man with a gun when they responded to this home home. The elderly man livingat the home activated a medic alert device and firefighters showed up minutes later.
"Our firefighters respond to medical calls every day, and to walk into a home where you're essentially trying to help somebody and not know what might be waiting for you can be unnerving. In this situation, we're grateful it wasn't much worse," said Jennifer Coats of the Berkeley Police Department.
Neighbors describe the elderly man as quiet and very reclusive.
"He was always nice and quiet and he didn't seem any aggressive at all," said neighbor Katya Schepis.
The shooter was taken to the hospital for a psych evaluation. It is not clear what the shooter's motivation was or if any criminal charges will be filed.
