More firings at Marion County Fire Rescue after alleged hazing incident

OCALA, Fla. - Six more employees have been fired from Marion County Fire Rescue following an alleged violent hazing incident at a fire station, bringing the total number of terminations tied to the case to 10, county officials said.

All personnel who were working at Fire Station 21 at the time of the alleged incident have now been dismissed, including leadership staff on duty that day.

The backstory:

Four firefighters had already been fired and arrested in late November and are facing criminal charges.

Authorities say the incident involved the alleged assault of a 19-year-old firefighter, who investigators say was dragged across a parking lot, restrained for about 20 minutes, whipped with a belt and waterboarded multiple times. The four firefighters charged in the case face counts including kidnapping, robbery and battery.

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What they're saying:

Marion County Fire Chief James Banta said the department launched an internal investigation following the arrests, resulting in additional administrative action. Two other employees were cleared to return to work, officials said.

"The actions alleged in this case are unacceptable," Banta said in a statement. "They are not reflective of who we are, and they are not aligned with our core values, our mission or our commitment to this community."

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Big picture view:

County officials said the dismissals are part of a broader effort to address workplace culture within the department and ensure misconduct is reported and addressed. Banta said the agency is focused not only on discipline, but also on prevention and restoring public trust.

The four firefighters facing criminal charges have been released from jail and are scheduled to return to court at a later date.