Coral Springs firefighter honored as body leaves medical examiner's office

Fellow firefighters line streets to pay tribute to Christopher Randazzo

DANIA BEACH, Fla. – Firefighters throughout South Florida gathered Tuesday to honor a colleague who was killed after leaving a Lauderdale-by-the-Sea café.

The body of Christopher Randazzo was escorted from the Broward County Medical Examiner's Office to a funeral home in North Lauderdale.

Broward Sheriff's Office detectives said the 39-year-old Coral Springs-Parkland Fire Department firefighter and paramedic was killed sometime between 1 and 6 a.m. Saturday. He had last been seen leaving the Aruba Beach Café.

Fellow firefighters lined the streets as Randazzo's body was placed into the back of an ambulance -- a U.S. flag draping the coffin -- and driven to the funeral home.

Detectives haven't said how Randazzo died, but his death is being investigated as a homicide.

Anyone with information about his death is asked to call detectives at 954-321-4210 or Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.


A viewing for Randazzo will be held Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Serenity Funeral Home in North Lauderdale. His funeral will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. at the Fort Lauderdale Marriott Coral Springs. He'll be laid to rest at the Forest Lawn Funeral Home in Fort Lauderdale immediately following the service.

All services will be open to the public.