Man killed by gunshot had been firefighter

By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.

jgoodwin@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

Police are trying to determine how a man who once served the city as a firefighter was shot in the head and left for dead in his home.

Eddie Wooldridge, 53, was found at 64 Livingston St. at 9:37 p.m. Saturday. Wooldridge was on the living-room floor with labored breathing and was unresponsive. Police noted an apparent gunshot wound to the side of his head.

Wooldridge was taken to St. Elizabeth Health Center’s Youngstown campus. He died at 10 a.m. Sunday.

Fire Chief John O’Neill remembers spending a lot of time with Wooldridge at the now-closed fire station on Market Street more than 20 years ago. Wooldridge served five years with the department in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

According to fire department files, Wooldridge was hired into the department in June 1986. He retired with a disability in 1991.

O’Neill remembers Wooldridge as funny, strong and fearless on the job. He said that as a young firefighter, he thought he would be working with Wooldridge in the department for years to come, but an accident changed that.

O’Neill said Wooldridge fell off a firetruck and badly injured his arm in 1991. He said the arm was treated but did not regain the strength or range of motion needed to perform certain tasks within the department, so Wooldridge was placed on disability.

“What happened with him was pretty tragic because he was a pretty good firefighter. He had a lot of potential; he really did,” said O’Neill. “You could tell he really enjoyed the job.”

O’Neill said he had lost touch with Wooldridge over the years but remembers him as a good man.

Police are looking for the person responsible for Wooldridge’s death. Police said a witness who was staying at the house took a test that would show if he had gunshot residue on his hands. The man has not been labeled a suspect.