St. Paul Police: Off-Duty Firefighter Tom Harrigan Shot To Death In His East Side Home
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The St. Paul Fire Department is grieving one of its own.
Police are searching for whoever shot and killed an off-duty firefighter at his east St. Paul home.
First responders found Tom Harrigan with a gunshot wound to his stomach at about 8:30 p.m. Monday inside his home on Ivy Avenue in the Prosperity Heights neighborhood. He later died at the hospital.
Police combed through Harrigan's home, trying to find clues as to why someone shot the fellow first responder. Harrigan served with St. Paul Fire since 2013. The 36-year-old was stationed at Fire Station 24 in the Battle Creek neighborhood, located about three miles south from his home. WCCO has learned firefighters at the next station over responded to the call. They tried to save the life of their comrade.
Police are investigating, but say they don't think the shooting was random.
"Our investigators continue to work hard to identify suspects. They've interviewed witnesses and they've gathered evidence," said Steve Linders with St. Paul Police.
A neighbor called Harrigan a good guy who died tragically.
St. Paul's Fire Chief Butch Inks sent this note to staff, letting them know of Harrigan's death:
This letter is to inform you of the unfortunate passing of one of our current firefighters. Firefighter Tom Harrigan passed away yesterday in Saint Paul. Tom was off duty at the time. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and those of you who worked with or knew Tom. We respond to emergencies daily and the weight of responding to a fatal emergency involving one of our own is undoubtedly overwhelming. Losing one of our own is incredibly difficult. I would encourage anyone in need of assistance to contact the Peer Support Team.
Harrigan's union shared this information:
It is with a heavy heart that St. Paul Firefighters Local 21 announces the tragic death of active Firefighter Thomas Harrigan. At approximately 8:30 pm on September 2nd, Firefighter Harrigan, who was off duty, was the victim of a shooting at his East Side home. St. Paul Fire Paramedics responded to the scene and administered life-saving emergency care and transported Firefighter Harrigan to Regions Hospital in downtown St. Paul. Shortly after arrival at the hospital, St, Paul Firefighter Tom Harrigan died in the hospital emergency department.
The Members of St. Paul Firefighters Local 21 are patiently awaiting the results of the investigation which is being conducted by the St. Paul Police Department. Until we have further information regarding this investigation, Local 21 members are trying to manage the grief and shock in the face of this tragedy. St. Paul Firefighter Tom Harrigan was a Firefighter/Paramedic, a Veteran, a Union Brother and a good friend to many. Firefighter Harrigan will be greatly missed by the Men and Women of Local 21 and the St. Paul Fire Department. Services for Firefighter Harrigan are pending.
St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter also offered support:
Our emergency responders are bound together by an oath to serve us in our times of need, and the passing of one of our own is not only a loss for those who share this sacred bond but for our entire community. We offer our support to Thomas Harrigan's family, and friends, as well as his fellow firefighters, paramedics, and all those who knew him as we process this tragedy.
No arrests have been made.
Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call 651-266-5650. This is the 5th homicide in the city this year.
Also Monday night, there was a triple shooting and pedestrian crash in St. Paul, near the main gates of the Minnesota State Fair.
The three people hit in that shooting are expected to be OK. The victim of the crash is in critical condition.
