Macon-Bibb County FD's Stephanie Burke now demoted to lieutenant because of prank on rookies. New information on the former captain's role.
Read previous coverage of this story here, here, here & here
I had written privately to some fire service friends that something wasn't making sense after punishment was handed out following the hoax robbery and shooting prank at Macon-Bibb County Fire Department Station 108 on September 18. How did the captain on that shift, who was seen in the video, get away with just a two day suspension when others were demoted and fired?
The indication from city officials was that Captain Stephanie Burke didn't have prior knowledge of the prank. Okay, but the chief said he didn't know about the video until the press started asking questions on September 19. Isn't the fact that the chief didn't hear from the captain or through the chain of command about this incident enough in itself to take some pretty severe action against the captain?
Well apparently there are bigger issues about Captain Burke's role than just my question. In fact, she is now Lieutenant Burke. And instead of a 2 shift suspension, Burke now has 20 shifts off. That's the equivalent of two months' pay. A spokesman for the mayor says the more severe discipline came from additional information provided to Fire Chief Marvin Riggins.
Macon.com reporter Amy Leigh Womack has been talking with the only firefighter to be fired because of the prank, Chris Hughes. Hughes showed Womack what he says are text messages between him and Burke.
The messages are associated with the same phone number Burke answered Thursday afternoon.
Hughes said the plan for the prank began Sept. 16, two days before the incident. He and Burke were working together and she asked him to obtain a “fake” gun.
The following day, Hughes sent a text message to Burke: “I got the fake gun.”
She replied, “Ok, calling Levi back.”
Hughes explained Thursday that a man named Levi, whose last name he didn’t provide, helped plan a similar prank in the past.
The gunman seen in this month’s prank was Hughes’ friend, not a firefighter, Hughes said.
Womack reports there were more text messages between Burke and Hughes after Chief Riggins began his investigation. Womack's interview with the former firefighter brings out some other interesting twists to this story. Click here to read the entire article and see all the messages on Hughes' phone.
