The City of Largo and Largo Fire Rescue told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that firefighter Brandon Stoffel’s employment has been terminated following an internal investigation.
“His actions were not consistent with the standards and trust the community expects and deserves,” a spokesperson for Largo Fire Rescue added in an email to CL. “We remain committed to integrity, equity, and providing safe, respectful, and trusted service to all.”
Stoffel, who completed his probationary year with Largo Fire in 2023, had been on leave for almost the last two weeks after he attended “No Kings” protests in downtown Tampa and Largo.
WFTS first reported that at the Largo rally, Stoffel, whose social media includes a video of pro-Trump activity captioned “Hell yea,” was accused of making threats and yelling at protesters using slurs against the LGBTQ+ community.
“If I call 911 and you get sent, are you gonna not do your job because I have a Pride flag in my window or I live in a mobile home park full of Spanish people? That’s insane,” Deidra Navarro said to the TV station.
As previously reported, No Kings protests across the Tampa Bay area on June 14 drew thousands of peaceful protesters. The action outside Tampa City Hall also attracted Proud Boys and MAGA counter-protesters. In photos, Stoffel is seen in downtown Tampa confronting protesters as part of a pro-Trump contingent.
A version of this story first appeared in our sibling publication Creative Loafing Tampa Bay.
Subscribe to Orlando Weekly newsletters.
Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Bluesky | Or sign up for our RSS Feed
This article appears in Jun 25 – Jul 1, 2025.