Largo Firefighters Lose Job After Gun Incident

Two Largo firefighters have resigned and a third was placed on suspension, after the three failed to turn in a loaded gun to police that a resident had brought into Largo Station 40 in High Point.

The Tampa Bay Times reports that the three were supposed to have contacted police or their supervisor and hand the gun over, after a good Samaritan found it and brought it into the station.

Instead the men reportedly took the gun apart to examine it and then placed it into a firefighter's glove compartment.

According to the Tampa Bay Times, the men first agreed to keep quiet about the gun, which Bradford had decided to keep. But then Bradford called Largo interim fire Chief Shelby Willis the day after he got the gun to report it. Lonkey called the day after that to report the gun.

• On June13, firefighter/paramedic Lewis Bradford resigned from his post after 21 years. He earned $66,159 a year.

• On June 14, firefighter/paramedic Michael A. Ledford resigned from his job, which he had held since 2006, earning $51,406 a year.

• Brad Lonkey, who had worked for the department for 24 years, was suspended for 24 hours.