Thomas Kim, 77, was arrested Monday on suspicion of murder, attempted murder, and arson after Kim set a fire and lured firefighters to his retirement home so he could shoot them. Investigators are still trying to determine a motive for the attack.
“There’s still is a large puzzle we’re trying to put together. There’s still a lot of information we don’t know,” Police Chief Robert Luna said.
The shooting claimed the life of Fire Captain Dave Rosa, and wounded firefighter Ernesto Torres, who was released from the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.
The Long Beach firefighters were called to Covenant Manor around 4 a.m. Monday after hearing about an explosion. According to AP, they found some second-floor windows blown out, activated sprinklers, the smell of gas and a fire that they extinguished. The residential tower that Kim lived in has 100 apartments for low-income people age 62 and older as well as disabled adults.
A revolver was found after Kim was arrested, according to authorities, and a bomb squad was called in to render two suspicious devices safe.
Kim remains in jail on $2 million bail.
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