Police investigating death of firefighter at 34th and the Paseo

City officials are expressing concern and making grief counselors available to employees following the death of a Kansas City firefighter at 34^th and the Paseo today.

Police are investigating a fatal shooting, possibly self-inflicted, near Fire Station 17, according to the Kansas City Star.

“Our hearts are heavy today as we stand with our Kansas City, Mo. City family, especially our Kansas City Missouri Firefighters, Paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians,” Mayor Sly James, City Manager Troy Schulte and Kansas City Fire Chief Paul Berardi said in a joint statement this morning.

“This tragedy is difficult to understand. While we cannot know exactly what happened, this may be a reminder of the intense stress that our trained team of professionals endure as part of working in public safety,” the statement read.