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Firefighter killed in suspected murder-suicide

Police say the suspect waited outside his estranged wife’s home before shooting the firefighter and then himself

By Laura French

ROWAN COUNTY, N.C. — A North Carolina firefighter was shot and killed in a suspected murder-suicide on Wednesday.

Police say Andrew Myers, 26, waited in a pickup truck outside the residence of his estranged wife when Firefighter Tyler William Hamilton, 30, stepped outside, according to WBTV.

When Hamilton stepped out of the residence, Myers reportedly came out of his truck and shot the firefighter in the head with a shotgun, then fatally shot himself. Both men were pronounced dead at the scene, according to Granite Quarry Police Chief Mark Cook.

“This is highly unusual for us, a very quiet, quaint community,” Cook said. “It’s very unfortunate that this situation devolved into what it did. Tragically we have two very young lives that have been taken away today and truly will be felt throughout the community.”

Hamilton served with the Franklin Fire Department, according to WBTV. Cook said both men were volunteer firefighters, WSOC TV reported.

Officials said they believe the shooting stemmed from a domestic situation.

The Granite Quarry Police Department and Rowan County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case.

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