The gunman who ambushed two firefighters as they approached his burning house left a note saying he wanted to torch the neighbourhood and "do what I like doing best, killing people."
Gerald Pickering, police chief in Webster, New York state, said that 62-year-old William Spengler armed himself with three weapons and set his house on fire to lure emergency services into a death trap.
The full contents of the two-page, typed note - which police say does not reveal a motive - have not been published, but Mr Pickering said it clearly shows his "intent".
He said he believed Spengler had "mental health issues".
One of the guns used on Monday was a semi-automatic Bushmaster rifle, the same type of gun used in the December 14 school massacre in Newtown, Connecticut.
Spengler killed two firefighters and shot two others before taking his own life.
The two injured volunteer firefighters, Joseph Hofstetter and Theodore Scardino, remain in a critical condition in hospital.
Mr Hofstetter and Mr Scardino were reportedly awake and alert, and are expected to recover despite suffering "significant" injuries.
They were among four firefighters who responded to the blaze in the small New York town of Webster on Monday morning.
Spengler set a house and car ablaze at around 5:30am and then opened fire when the firefighters arrived.
He later shot at a police officer before killing himself.
Crews were unable to douse the flames until police were certain there was no longer a threat, and the blaze spread to six other homes before it was put out.
The firefighters who were killed were identified as Mike Chiapperini, 43, and Tomasz Kaczowka, 19.
Mr Chiapperini's full time job was as a public information officer with the Webster Police department, and was named firefighter of the year for 2012.
Mr Kaczowka worked as an emergency call dispatcher.
Dozens of people turned out on Monday night for an impromptu vigil to mourn the slain firefighters, leaving bouquets and condolence messages at the local fire station.
One man left a crate of beer, the local newspaper told Sky News.
Spengler's sister Cheryl, who lived at the house where the fire started with her brother, is missing.
Spengler was released from prison in 1998 after serving 17 years for beating his 92-year-old grandmother to death with a hammer in 1980.
Spengler reportedly lived a quiet life in the years before setting the Christmas Eve trap at his Lake Ontario shorefront home.
Spengler's mother Arline, who had lived with her two children, died in October, leaving Spengler on his own with his sister whom he "couldn't stand", according to neighbour Roger Vercruysse.
Spengler "stayed on one side of the house and [Cheryl] stayed on the other," MR Vercruysse said.
Arine Spengler's obituary suggested donations be made to the West Webster Fire Department.
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