Firefighter Gets Hosed
The firefighter who shot his dogs because he didn’t want to pay to board them has been fired. The pressure on the city from dog lovers around the country helped make sure these dogs did not die in vain.
Disgraced Columbus firefighter David Santuomo, who executed his family pets and lied about it to investigators, was fired today by Safety Director Mitchell Brown.
The Dispatch and WBNS-TV (Channel 10) have learned that Santuomo sent a text message to a fellow firefighter threatening a Columbus police officer because he thought the officer had turned him in to the Capital Area Humane Society.
The message said, “You realize that there is a funeral in CPD’s future,” according to the internal-affairs investigative report.
That information was forwarded to prosecutors and the safety director, sources said.
Last week, Fire Chief Ned Pettus Jr. recommended that Santuomo be fired. Only the safety director can fire firefighters under the city charter.
Brown did so today.
“After careful consideration of the relevant facts … it is my decision to uphold the recommendation of Fire Chief Ned Pettus Jr. and terminate Firefighter David Santuomo from the position of firefighter for the City of Columbus,” Brown said in a statement. “As in all personnel matters, no further comment will be made at this time.”
Thousands of people have called for Santuomo’s firing through e-mails, letters and phone calls to The Dispatch and the city.
Santuomo has had other issues while working for the fire department, several reprimands for tardiness as well as for two improper remarks made on fire dispatching radios. He is a divorced father with two sons. What a role model.
Not much left to say about this, except good riddance to Santuomo.
* Photo courtesy Tom Dodge/DISPATCH, Santuomo is on the right.
I am so glad to hear he has lost his job, now if only he would have gotten a stiffer sentence when he was found guilty of animal cruelty!
Thank you Safety Director Mitchell Brown!!! This is good news. How crazy is this man that not only did he execute his own dogs, but threaten a police officer’s life…in writing? I think he needs to be behind bars! There is definitely something not right in his psyche. I agree with Stacey, above. He should have gotten a stiffer penalty.
At least his dogs have gotten some justice.
He also sad that he thought he could threating a police officer.What a jerk.He need mental help.They need to look into this more.How many times he has done this before and to whom or to what other animals.
Thank you director. This time the dogs receieved justice. And he has 2 sons, what a message to send them. The man is a disgrace to the human reace. Great he lost his job. He sounds like a first rate _____ ___ _______. It is still sad the dogs lost their lives because of this bumb.
yes, good riddance to him. he had no regard for animals or his own community.
he also should be prevented from having pets ever again.
Let’s hope this guy doesn’t go further off the deep end and start shooting people, too…
Should have lost more than his job!
I’d think threatening a police officer would be a crime. He may be in for more than just losing his job. This guy sounds scary. No doubt he will blame those around him, not himself, for his current state. I’m glad I don’t live near him.
He is an embarrassment to his profession, plain and simple!
A standing ovation for the City of Columbus for doing the morally right thing. It’s only a small measure of justice for what he did in taking those poor, innocent lives, but it’s something.
I agree with Kiko, this guy sounds really scary. It’s sad there are people like him all over and one never knows what they are capable of. He really needs some therapy but at least he isn’t a firefighter any more.
Thank you Mr. Brown. This man is a ticking time bomb. We too agree with Josie, Kiko and their mom…we are glad we don’t live near this person. We are afraid we have not heard the last of him.
You think someone who has to take an oath similar to this one would have has a much harsher punishment but then again we’ll probably see Vick on the field this football season!
OATH OF OFFICE
“I (state your name) do hereby declare,
that I will support the Constitution of the United States,
the Constitution of the State of Minnesota, and that,
I will faithfully discharge the duties to the
as (state your position) __________ Fire Department and
the citizens of __________ to the best of my ability, and will
promote and protect the best interest of the __________ Fire Department
in accordance with the __________ Fire Department policies”.
Poor dogs…they didn’t deserve that.
A good song describing what humans do to animals is in the movie “Dr. Doolittle”. I’m not sure when it was made or who plays the Dr. but I do know that it is in color, is fairly old, and the actor is not Eddie Murphy. It is rated G. The song is “Why Do We Treat Animals Like Animals?” It’s a good song, funny but at the same time sad.