The Charleston Gazette
WEIRTON, W.Va. — The fire chief in Weirton is in hot water over threats he allegedly made to kill himself and others.
The city firefighters’ union wants city officials to let Fire Chief Dave Lashorn go. Firefighters have taken a vote of no-confidence in their boss.
The union said Tuesday that in one recorded conversation Lashorn threatened to “splatter his brains somewhere and take about 20 people with him when [he] is ready to go.” The department has 21 firefighters.
In another episode, Lashorn talked about a cubbyhole on the roof of the fire department that he thought would be a good hiding place where he could be a sniper, according to Teresa Toriseva, an attorney for the firefighters’ union.
She said Lashorn, who has been chief since 2008, has made threatening statements for years and also smashed the windshield of a police cruiser.
“The union is frustrated and hopes this administration will act,” Toriseva said. “The reasons prior administrations haven’t, I don’t know.”
Lashorn’s attorney declined to comment beyond saying he believes his client is “certainly” fit to remain fire chief. Lashorn has been with the department in one capacity or another for 30 years.
Copyright 2011 Charleston Newspapers