By FireRescue1 Staff
FORADA, Minn. — An investigation has been launched into the death of a veteran firefighter who was possibly assaulted outside of a bar.
FOX9 reported that authorities are investigating the death of 28-year veteran firefighter Steven Hlinsky, who was found unresponsive outside of a bar earlier this month and died eight days after possibly being assaulted, according to officials.
Hlinsky was airlifted to the hospital and was released several days later, but police responded to a “medical situation” call at his house on Sunday, where they found him not breathing and unresponsive. He was later pronounced dead.
“His are going to be hard shoes to fill,” Forada Fire Department Chief Bob Steidl said about Hlinsky, whose nickname was “Beaver.” “I think there was maybe only one or two times someone beat ‘Beav’ to the fire hall.”
Officials are still determining if Hlinsky died from his injuries he received in the incident or for another reason.
Police said that while it’s still not confirmed that he was assaulted outside of the bar, they believe a group of people who fled the bar before police arrived could have had something to do with it.