Fire Captain Specialist

Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

12/21/2014

Special Act Award (Gold)

On December 21, 2014, at approximately 10:30 a.m., California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Fire Captain Specialist Doug Mackey was on routine patrol in Auburn when he heard a call from the Placer County Sheriff’s office requesting additional assistance as they had just received a report of gunfire in a residential neighborhood. Captain Mackey responded to the call and learned that a lone gunman was holed up inside his house, shooting at officers and neighboring homes. Captain Mackey and other officers put up a perimeter around the homes and remained there as the gunman continued to shoot. The Placer County Sheriff’s Special Enforcement Team (SET) arrived on the scene and noticed the suspect’s garage was adjacent to the roof of a neighboring house. A SET team member climbed onto the neighbor’s roof, attempting to release tear gas into the roof vents of the suspect’s house. The suspect responded by setting his garage on fire and the neighboring home started to burn, trapping the deputy on the roof. With little time to spare, and in the line of fire, Captain Mackey and an Auburn police officer ran out into the open carrying a ladder and rescued the deputy from the burning roof. Fortunately, no one was injured. After the rescue, Captain Mackey and the police officer checked the other homes in the neighborhood for residents. They found an elderly couple in one of the homes and, while providing cover, helped them escape out the back of their house.