Family Prepares to Bury Firefighter; Grand Jury Subpoenas Shooter

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BOWIE, MD — While the funeral of a fallen Prince George’s County firefighter is center stage this week, there are still questions to be resolved before a decision is made on whether charges should be filed in his death.

Firefighter/paramedic John Ulmschneider, 37, died Friday night at Southern Maryland Hospital Center from a gunshot wound to the upper body suffered on a call to check on a diabetic man who wasn’t responding to family members.

Police have not identified the 61-year-old homeowner, who was released from custody, and authorities said no charges were filed last week.

Morningside Volunteer firefighter Kevin Swain, 19, has been hospitalized at the Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore since he was shot four times during the encounter.

The Temple Hills resident reportedly thought his home was being broken into when he shot two emergency responders and a relative trying to check on his welfare. Fire officials say the responders announced themselves loudly three times and knocked repeatedly at the door before trying to enter the house.

Swain has been moved out of the Intensive Care Unit and into a private room, according to Prince George’s County Fire Department officials.

But investigators have not yet talked to Swain or the suspected shooter’s brother, who called for help and was also wounded by a gunshot. The homeowner who fired the shots has been served a subpoena to appear in front of a Prince George’s County grand jury, WUSA reports.

The man’s brother says the shooting was a tragic mistake.

And his sister said the man, who is diabetic, shot because he thought he might have blacked out only to wake up to intruders.

“We are so sorry about the firefighter and for the family,” the man’s sister told The Washington Post. “We were praying so hard.”

Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Angela Alsobrooks told WTOP her office must determine whether the shooter’s actions were reasonable since he apparently believed he was in danger.

Remembering "Skillet"

Skillet said that he had to help at least one person a day or he couldn’t sleep.

“I belive that was his motivation he had as a firefighter,” said family representative Chris Grable on Tuesday.“I don’t believe there’s any limit to what Skillet would have done to have helped somebody.”

The family is doing as well as can be expected, he said and thanked the Prince George’s County Fire and EMS Department for their help.

“They’ve truly been a beacon of strength for Dawn,” the fallen firefighter's wife. He also leaves behind a 2-year-old daughter.

Grable told reporters he has known Ulmschneider for about 15 years, and is not sure where the nickname came from, but it’s the only name he’s known him by.

Spokesman Mark Brady said there are two schools of thought on the nickname.

One is that Ulmschneider’s head was as hard as an iron skillet, he could take a licking and keep on going. While his sister says that when he was young he was involved in a bicycle accident and had a skillet-shaped scar.

Funeral Services Wednesday

Meanwhile, family, friends and fellow firefighters prepare to lay Ulmschneider to rest.

The visitation for Ulmschneider runs until 8 p.m. Tuesday. His funeral Mass will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 20, at St. John's Parish in Hollywood, MD. A private family burial will follow the funeral Mass.

Fire Department Spokesman Mark Brady thanked Fire/EMS departments from both Maryland and Virginia that are covering stations and providing services to Prince George’s County residents while Ulmschneider’s colleagues attend his visitation and funeral.

It will not be unusual for residents to see units from the following jurisdictions responding on calls Tuesday and Wednesday:

• Alexandria, VA
• Anne Arundel County, MD
• Arlington County, VA
• Baltimore City, MD
• Baltimore County, MD
• Baltimore-Washington International Airport
• Calvert County, MD
• Charles County, MD
• Fairfax County, VA
• Howard County, MD
• Montgomery County, MD
• St. Mary’s County, MD

This list will expand on Wednesday as additional members attend the funeral services. Wednesday is the shift day that Ulmschneider was assigned to.