Virginia fire chief calls for online forum to shut down after firefighter suicide

  • Source: Inside NoVA
  • Published: 05/02/2016 12:00 AM

Fairfax Fire and Rescue Chief Richard Bowers is calling on the website “Fairfax Underground” to remove its “lewd and horrible” comments about fallen firefighter Nicole Mittendorff. The chief also promised a “very aggressive” internal investigation to determine whether anyone in his department is to blame. During a press conference Friday afternoon, Bowers had sharp words for the online forum and said off-color remarks on the site have caused “pain and suffering” among Mittendorff’s friends and relatives as well as fellow Fairfax firefighters. “I’m directly appealing to the hosting company of Fairfax Underground -- and you know who you are -- to immediately remove the lewd and horrible posts and cease operation of the blog,” Bowers said. “We need to clean up this blog and people need to act right.” Bowers first announced his investigation into accusations Mittendorff was the victim of online bullying and harassment April 23, two days after her body was found in Shenandoah National Park. The Virginia medical examiner’s office has ruled her death a suicide.



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