LAFD captain collapses, dies while on duty

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A Los Angeles Fire Department captain died Monday after collapsing while on duty at the department's Metropolitan Fire Communications Center, fire officials said.

Matthew McKnight, 51, was found unresponsive at the downtown facility at 1:07 a.m. According to an LAFD statement, colleagues "immediately performed CPR, applied a defibrillator and instituted advanced life support measures." He was rushed to County-USC Medical Center, where he was declared dead.

Authorities say no one witnessed McKnight collapsing. He was last seen at 12:55 a.m. toward the end of a five-hour watch, supervising 11 dispatchers.

An autopsy will determine the cause of death.

McKnight was a 31-year veteran of LAFD and lived in Thousand Oaks. He leaves behind a wife, a teenage daughter, a pre-teen son and two brothers, who are both members of the LAFD.

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