December 25th, 2012
12:21 PM ET

Shooter that lured firefighters left note: Killing is what I do best

The shooter who ambushed and killed two upstate New York firefighters Monday left a note behind indicating his intentions, police said Tuesday.

"I still have to get ready to see how much of the neighborhood I can burn down and do what I like doing best - killing people," the 3-page typewritten note said.

New York town's 'Firefighter of the Year' shot dead responding to blaze

Authorities haven't given a motive for the latest violence, which left two firefighters dead and two other firefighters and an off-duty police officer from a nearby town wounded after they responded to the call of a fire.

And they can't ask the shooter, who was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head around 11 a.m., about six hours after first calls about the fire came in.

Investigators believe the suspect, William Spengler, 62, set the original fire, then likely set himself up on a berm with a clear view of the scene and started shooting.

N.Y. man who shot dead 2 firefighters killed grandmother in 1980

"It appears that it was a trap," Webster Police Chief Gerald Pickering said. "There was a car and a house that were involved in flames, probably set by Mr. Spengler, who laid in wait in armament and then shot the first responders."

In chilling audio heard over the scanner, a West Webster Fire Department firefighter reported "multiple firemen shot" - including himself, with wounds to his lower back and lower leg - and "shots still being fired."

For several hours after that Monday, the threat of gunfire stopped firefighters from battling the blaze and forced police SWAT teams to evacuate 33 people in the neighborhood of small, waterfront homes.

Eventually, seven houses were "totally destroyed" by the fire. Although the fires were under control as of 2:30 p.m. ET, by then authorities still hadn't been able to get in any of the homes. Pickering said it's possible more victims could be inside.

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Filed under: New York
soundoff (467 Responses)
  1. Scott

    Why do these Democrats keep killing? Is it because of the hate speech of their political leaders and MSNBC?

    December 25, 2012 at 1:19 pm | Report abuse |
  2. Big Bob

    SO glad bobby jindal cut Louisiana's mental health services ..... yeah republicans save a buck today will cost us plenty later and it's not worth it.

    December 25, 2012 at 1:20 pm | Report abuse |
    • DMG2FUN

      Keeping him in prison would have been cheaper. Just ask the families of the dead people.

      December 25, 2012 at 1:23 pm | Report abuse |
    • .

      Whattsa matter, Bob? Someone cut your welfare check again?

      December 25, 2012 at 1:24 pm | Report abuse |
    • Dr. H

      Big Bob- Bobby Jindal is the governor of Louisiana. What does the policies or actions of his state have to do with New York where this crime happened. Being a New Yorker he was probably a registered demo-rat.

      December 25, 2012 at 1:29 pm | Report abuse |
  3. gmenfan54

    The scary part is their are many more William Spengler's out there.

    December 25, 2012 at 1:20 pm | Report abuse |
    • GAW

      Angry beyond control and ready to snap.

      December 25, 2012 at 1:33 pm | Report abuse |
  4. .

    What a load of malarky.

    December 25, 2012 at 1:20 pm | Report abuse |
  5. dubrats

    he spent only 17 years in prison for beating his grandmother to death with a hammer,got paroled....and the dems. ask whats going on in this country.....pitiful.

    December 25, 2012 at 1:21 pm | Report abuse |
  6. coaster

    If this POS murdered his own Grandmother, why wasn't he executed or imprisoned for life. Turning him loose on society has permitted him to commit another trajedy.

    December 25, 2012 at 1:21 pm | Report abuse |
    • magnum12

      Liberals believe murderers can be rehabilitated.

      December 25, 2012 at 1:27 pm | Report abuse |
  7. JT

    Hey CNN, do us all a favor and get this lunatic's face off of your website. He doesn't deserve the publicity

    December 25, 2012 at 1:21 pm | Report abuse |
    • joelpeter

      I agree. BEGONE!

      December 25, 2012 at 1:30 pm | Report abuse |
    • Young Libertarian

      I agree, how about a pic of the firefighters who lost their lives?

      December 25, 2012 at 1:31 pm | Report abuse |
  8. oppossum king

    Guys, anybody can get a weapon regardless of their background in 2 hours. It isn't that gun control or NO gun control fails, it is the fact that we have lost our self control that keeps causing these incidents.

    December 25, 2012 at 1:22 pm | Report abuse |
  9. pwd

    Wunder how he was thinking when they let him out of jail??

    December 25, 2012 at 1:22 pm | Report abuse |
  10. martin

    When gun violence was constrained pretty much to inner cities or gang territories nobody gave a care. But whatever you find and accept on the periphery of society almost always ends up being mainstream eventually, if it is ignored. We are now paying the bill.

    December 25, 2012 at 1:23 pm | Report abuse |
  11. jokka

    Also guns are no match for missiles or cluster bombs if the government truly wanted to take over. They will always have better weapons than you. Plus, they can just bomb all the ammo manufacturers and your guns will be useless as your stockpile gets used up.

    December 25, 2012 at 1:23 pm | Report abuse |
  12. guido ambrosi

    hope he is in hell right now. were a piece of human crap deserves to be.

    December 25, 2012 at 1:24 pm | Report abuse |
  13. johnkon

    THESE ARE NOT MENTALLY ILL. They are planning and killing.
    These are TERRORISTS.

    December 25, 2012 at 1:24 pm | Report abuse |
  14. Starstuff

    My comment is awaiting moderation

    December 25, 2012 at 1:25 pm | Report abuse |
  15. cynical

    maybe they should ban fires ....

    December 25, 2012 at 1:25 pm | Report abuse |
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