Crime & Safety
Malverne Firefighter Killed in Upstate Hunting Accident
Charles Bruce, 52, was shot and killed by a friend who mistook him for a deer.
Malverne firefighter and Franklin Square resident Charles Bruce was killed in an upstate hunting accident Saturday after a friend mistook him for a deer, the NY Daily News reported.
Bruce, 52, was shot in the woods in the Town of Westford, Otsego County, according to state police.
David Gildea, a firefighter and public information officer for the Malverne Fire Department, said that Bruce's death was an unfortunate and tragic accident.
"He was, in addition to being a great fireman and an active member, a great friend to so many of us," Gildea said. "He was a great father and a really wonderful person."
Bruce loved the outdoors, smoking cigars and playing golf, Gildea said.
"He was the epitome of a guy's guy - we are really going to miss him terribly," he said.
The shooter is an associate member of the department, which is a voluntary, non-firefighting role that many members switch to after more than 10 years of service, Gildea said. He has not been identified by police.
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