Firefighter David Atherton did not die in the line of duty. That fact didn’t matter this morning to his fellow Stoneham firefighters and his brothers and sisters at the Boston Fire Dept., as they saluted and escorted his body from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Atherton was accidentally shot and killed by a lifelong friend. See that Boston Herald story here.
![07/01/2016-Boston,MA. Stoneham firefighters salute as the body of fellow town firefighter David Atherton leaves the Boston office of the Chief Medical Examiner Friday morning. Atherton was shot and killed while off duty earlier this week. Staff photo by Mark Garfinkel.](https://i0.wp.com/www.pictureboston.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/pb070116firefightermg001.jpg?resize=600%2C422)
07/01/2016-Boston,MA. Stoneham firefighters salute as the body of fellow town firefighter David Atherton leaves the Boston office of the Chief Medical Examiner Friday morning. Atherton was shot and killed while off duty earlier this week.
![07/01/2016-Boston,MA. Boston firefighters salute as the body of Stoneham firefighter David Atherton leaves the Boston office of the Chief Medical Examiner Friday morning. Atherton was shot and killed while off duty earlier this week. Staff photo by Mark Garfinkel.](https://i0.wp.com/www.pictureboston.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/pb070116firefightermg003.jpg?resize=600%2C407)
07/01/2016-Boston,MA. Boston firefighters salute as the body of Stoneham firefighter David Atherton leaves the Boston office of the Chief Medical Examiner Friday morning. Atherton was shot and killed while off duty earlier this week.