A November 2013 hunting trip in Westford, New York, ended with the death of 52-year-old Charles Bruce of Franklin Square. Bruce, a volunteer with the Malverne Fire Department for 17 years, was among fellow firefighters on an annual outing when he was shot in the chest as dusk fell. The shooting was described as a hunting accident: a member of the party, also an associate member of the same fire department, fired from a tree stand and reportedly mistook Bruce for a deer. State police ruled the death accidental.

Otsego County District Attorney John Muehl said the matter might be presented to a grand jury to consider potential homicide charges; the shooter was reported to be devastated. Family and colleagues remembered Bruce as a cherished friend, devoted firefighter and father of two, and the Malverne Fire Department honored him by draping the building in purple and black bunting and flying flags at half-staff.