Fireman killed by man he saved

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Summary

: White firefighter Mitch Lundgaard revived black man Ruben Houston from overdose in 2019 Wisconsin; Houston then fatally shot him minutes later.

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On May 15, 2019, Appleton firefighter Mitchell “Mitch” Lundgaard, 36, a 14-year veteran and father of three, responded with other first responders to a medical call at the Valley Transit Center. A man on a bus, later identified as Ruben Houston III, 47, of Wausau, was unresponsive (initially reported as a possible seizure).

Paramedics administered naloxone (Narcan) twice; he regained consciousness. After he left the bus, responders—including Lundgaard—tried to persuade him to go to the hospital because the naloxone effect is temporary and he had taken opioids (he admitted taking morphine pills).

About 22 minutes after exiting the bus, Houston pulled a concealed .380 handgun and opened fire.

Lundgaard was shot in the back/chest and died. An officer was wounded; a bystander used as a human shield was also shot and survived. Police returned fire and killed Houston. Toxicology later confirmed methamphetamine, fentanyl, and related substances in Houston’s system. Officers were cleared; the shooting was ruled justified.

Lundgaard was White (Wisconsin background, photos, family). Houston was Black (court records referenced race matching his prior identity as Ruben Huston; family statements and contemporary descriptions align with this). Houston had a long criminal record including firearms and drug felonies and was out on bond on a recent drug charge.

The shooting was not “immediate.” There was a period of conversation and attempts to get him medical care after revival. The shooting occurred after he became agitated about going to the hospital and when officers noted a bulge and attempted a pat-down. Investigators pointed to his choices and drug combination as the trigger.

Local outlets (Post-Crescent, NBC26, FOX affiliates, WISN), national (ABC News with bodycam video, New York Post), Associated Press, and later a detailed NIOSH line-of-duty-death report. Bodycam footage was released. It was treated as a tragic first-responder shooting, but the fact that a white responder was killed by the black man he had saved minutes before was not only buried by the media, but I could find no mention of it in the legacy media. Social-media filled in the blanks, adding racial framing original reporting ignored.

Had an officer killed Houston before he shot Lundgaard, the woke left might have treated him as a martyr the way they honor George Floyd.

Sometimes I get things wrong. If you notice a significant error, please bring it to my attention in the comment section. While efforts have been made to verify the information presented in this article, some facts, dates, quotations, or interpretations may be inaccurate or incomplete.

Suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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Sources/related links:

Official / investigative

News coverage of the shooting and investigation

Suspect background and family

Video

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