Firefighter Specialist Tory Carlon, who was killed in the Station 81 shooting last summer, was honored alongside three other fallen L.A. County Fire Department personnel on Wednesday during the department’s 2022 Memorial Service.
An annual ceremony meant to honor those Los Angeles County Fire Department personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty during the previous year, the Firefighter’s Memorial Service includes the unveiling of that year’s group of honored names emblazoned on The Memorial Wall at the L.A. County Fire Department Museum in East L.A..
Carlon, 44, a Saugus resident who worked at the Agua Dulce firehouse, was shot and killed June 1 after his coworker, Firefighter Engineer Jonathan Tatone, walked into the firehouse at 8710 Sierra Highway and opened fire. Capt. Arnie Sandoval, 55, was critically wounded but would ultimately survive after multiple weeks in the hospital.
Investigators say Tatone fled from the scene of the shooting to his Bent Spur Drive home in Acton before setting it on fire and turning the firearm fatally on himself.
Along with Carlon’s name, the ceremony also honored Firefighter Jonathan E. Flagler, Firefighter Paramedic Brian K. Ballentine and Firefighter Specialist Samuel C. Neubauer, who had died in the line of duty over the last year.
“Samuel, Brain, Tory and Jonathan were husbands, fathers, sons, cherished friends and heroes, (and) these are probably the roles that we will remember the most,” said L.A. County Fire Chief Daryl L. Osby. “They also loved being firefighters, proudly serving the communities entrusted in their care and dedicating countless years of service.”
Osby directly addressed the fallen firefighters’ families who were in attendance at the ceremony, saying while their hearts must still remain heavy from the loss of their loved ones, the fire chief reminded them that the department would be there to continue supporting them.
“Although they are no longer with us, their lives and legacies continue to inspire us to carry on their unwavering commitment to service,” said Osby.
Carlon, who was born and raised in the Leona Valley but would later move to the Santa Clarita Valley, attended the fire tech program at A.V. College before working in forest service for three years.
He was accepted by the L.A. County Fire Department Academy and was stationed at various fire stations in the area, including Fire Station 131.
With a bell being struck as each name was read out, symbolizing the “last alarm” for all firefighters who died in the performance of their duty, the ceremony was concluded with the reading of all the names now memorialized on the wall.
