Officials ID fire captain killed in the line of duty as father of 2, department veteran

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- (KTLA) -- The fire captain who died after gunfire erupted as officials were responding to a fire at a senior living facility in Long Beach Monday morning had been with the department for 17 years, officials said.

Dave Rosa, 45, had also served as captain of Fire Station 10 for the last six and a half years, said Long Beach Fire Chief Mike Duree.

He leaves behind a wife and two children.

“This is a tough day,” Duree said, pausing tearing up. “It's a tough day.”

Firefighters could be seen embracing and consoling each other outside St. Mary Medical Center, where Rosa was treated, in aerial video from the scene.

A “last call” issued for Rosa over authorities' communication system around 8:10 a.m. — after roll call was taken and he had not answered — signed off with words from a traditional Irish blessing: “May the sun shine upon his path, may wind always be at his back and may the Lord hold him in the palm of his hands until we meet again.”

Rosa's body was escorted with full honors from St. Mary to the coroner's office beginning around 12:20 p.m. A flag could be seen flying at half-staff outside the hospital.

Rosa was among two fire officials who were shot during Monday's incident inside a high-rise building at 600 E. Fourth St. that houses apartments for seniors.

The second, Firefighter Ernesto Torres, was discharged from the hospital late Monday morning and is expected to make a full recovery, said Jake Helfin, a spokesperson for the Fire Department. Torres is about 35 years old and has been with the department more than 10 years, according to Duree.

A civilian was also wounded. That person was in surgery and in critical condition, authorities said.