HFD arson investigator Lemuel ‘DJ’ Bruce to be honored by friends and family at memorial service

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Arson investigator Lemuel “DJ” Bruce will be remembered Thursday with a march and memorial involving his fellow Houston firefighters.

The memorial service, which is being held at Lakewood Church, will begin at 11 a.m.

On Monday, drivers on the roads and freeways in the Houston area gave way to a police-escorted procession for Bruce, who died in the line of duty last week.

The procession started at the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences on Old Spanish Trail, while his firefighter comrades saluted.

The procession moved on to the freeways until it arrived at Tomball’s Klein Funeral Home.

At the scene where Bruce was shot, a small memorial was erected by retired firefighter Richard Kercho and current firefighter John Ortiz.

Bruce was conducting surveillance during an arson investigation last Friday when he got into a confrontation with a suspect where they exchanged gunfire.

The suspect, Joshua Delacerda, died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound at the scene. About an hour later, Bruce died from his injuries at Memorial Hermann Hospital.

Bruce was 44 years old, was married, had two children – ages 12 and 8, and was a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps.

He began his career with the Houston Fire Department in 2003, and over the years, was assigned to HFD Stations 77, 96, 42, 64, 6 and 12.

He joined the HFD Fire & Arson Investigation Division five years ago.

Bruce is the fourth member of the Houston Fire Department to die in the line of duty since July. Three others were lost due to COVID-19 and complications from the illness.