WASHINGTON — Police arrested a firefighter on Friday after he was accused of threatening and pointing a gun at another person in Southeast D.C.
Metropolitan Police Department identified the man arrested as 46-year-old Douglas Wheeler. Wheeler is a firefighter for DC Fire and EMS.
According to a police report, the incident happened late Thursday morning on the 800 block of Kentucky Avenue in Southeast. Police say Wheeler approached two men who were talking about cars.
Wheeler started talking to one of the men about buying his car. Wheeler then left and went to his nearby home, police say.
Investigators say Wheeler returned a few minutes later and approached the man he spoke to about buying his car once more. This time, police say Wheeler pulled out a black handgun and pointed it at the man as he cursed and told the man to go home.
The man told police he ran behind his car for cover and told Wheeler, "I am home."
According to MPD, when the man told Wheeler that he would call the cops, Wheeler put the gun in his pocket and went back to his house.
Officers arrested Wheeler on a charge of threats to kidnap or injure a person.
In an email to WUSA9, Jennifer Donelan, director of communications for DC FEMS confirmed that Wheeler "is a sergeant assigned to [the] Bureau of Operations."
"He is currently on administrative leave with pay. The department has an active administrative investigation underway in regards to this incident," Donelan wrote.
The police report had no information on what might have caused Wheeler to threaten the victim with a gun.