William “Bill” Bagdasarian, 1964-2022

wild billy baggens
in one shot, fell from the skies
earning angels wings

On Friday, August 19, 2022, shortly after noon, law enforcement officials confirmed that a man who had holed up in a home adjacent to a burning garage in El Cajon was found dead. The incident prompted the callout of a SWAT team and numerous firefighters to the unincorporated area of El Cajon, where the fire burned for hours.

Investigators with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department reported that the man, identified as 58-year-old William Bagdasarian, died of apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds in one of the bedrooms. Hours after firefighters and law enforcement converged on the area, my friend, known as Wild Bill to his friends and family, had been found dead.

The incident began as a reported domestic disturbance, according to sheriff’s Lt. Amber Baggs. Deputies learned that Bill was threatening to take his own life with a firearm.

Family members informed deputies that Bill started the fire in the detached garage. They also said that there were multiple firearms inside the home. Despite several calls to Bill via cell phone, he never answered. Although the sheriff’s department deployed a SWAT team to the scene, Baggs clarified that the incident was not a typical SWAT situation.

The fire began around 9:15 a.m. at the home near North 4th Avenue and East Madison Avenue. By 12:45 p.m., it was mostly out, with smoke still visible from the smoldering structure.

By 11 a.m., the SWAT team had arrived, with several law enforcement officers, including one from the El Cajon Police Department, seen taking cover and armed with assault rifles. A San Diego Police helicopter also circled overhead.

Firefighters from Heartland Fire-Rescue and San Miguel Fire & Rescue worked for hours to tackle the blaze from a distance. Despite their efforts, a plume of smoke continued above the residential neighborhood.

A hook-and-ladder truck sprayed water on the garage from a distance, apparently using remote control.

“Firefighters must let the structure adjacent to the garage burn to find where the fire is coming from within that structure,” said San Miguel Fire & Rescue Department Fire Chief Chris Brainard. “Because the man inside has a weapon, firefighters must keep a safe distance and attack the fire using a hose from Truck 6.”

At least a half-dozen fire vehicles and several firefighters were at the scene, with some setting up in a nearby yard to man hoses. Another half-dozen patrol cars blocked traffic from entering the area. At one point, a large group of firefighters huddled on the street behind a fire truck, shielded from the home as they fought the flames from a distance.

During the lengthy battle with the fire, a large part of the building’s rear structure collapsed. It is unknown if Bill was still alive at this point or not.

As I write this, I ask myself, between sobs, “Why didn’t Bill call me?” He knew he could talk to me without judgment. I doubt there will be an obituary for my friend, so this will have to do.