An officer in Ohio was killed after a shooter ambushed him and another officer as they parked to eat pizza in a remote, undeveloped area, Lorain police said on Thursday.
The Lorain police Officer Phillip C. Wagner, 35, was flown to a trauma centre following the attack on Wednesday afternoon in the city west of Cleveland, according to a police statement. According to the report, he died surrounded by family at MetroHealth Medical Centre in Cleveland.
The shooting injured Wagner’s partner as well as a third officer who responded to their call for assistance.
Authorities say the attacker was 28-year-old Lorain resident Michael Joseph Parker, who was killed after an exchange of gunfire. They claim he acted alone. Police have not revealed any details about the motive.
Wagner joined the force in early 2022, according to the department, after previously serving in the United States Marine Corps and the Sheffield Village Police Department. His colleagues referred to him as a respected and beloved officer who was known for his dedication, professionalism, and compassion.
Acting Lorain Police Chief Michael Failing stated that Wagner’s life and service “will never be forgotten.”
“Our department mourns the loss of a true hero and stands in unwavering support of Officer Wagner’s family, friends, and fellow officers during this heartbreaking time,” Failing told the crowd.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine ordered that the Ohio and US flags be flown at half-staff on public buildings until sunset on the day of Wagner’s funeral.
Police said they discovered multiple rifles, handguns, and loaded magazines in and around Parker’s vehicle, as well as “a significant quantity of improvised explosive materials.”
According to Dr. Frank Miller, the Lorain County coroner, Parker died as a result of multiple gunshot wounds from police officers.
Parker’s bullet wounds “are not self-inflicted,” Miller said in a phone interview following Thursday’s autopsy. “It’s during the gun battle.” He said the toxicology test results would take a few weeks.
According to an Ohio Fraternal Order of Police statement, a second officer was shot multiple times and was in critical condition after being flown to the trauma centre. Failing reported that the third officer was shot in the hand. The officers who were injured are Peter Gale, 51, and Brent Payne, 47.
Wagner and Gale parked to eat pizza on a dead-end street in a remote, undeveloped area of Lorain that overlooks a river and a steel mill shortly before the ambush. Failing reported that Payne was shot after responding to their call.
“Officers returned fire during the exchange, which ultimately resulted in Parker sustaining a fatal injury,” according to a statement from police in nearby Elyria who are leading the investigation.
Parker and his parents lived in a tidy, two-story brick house in Lorain, a city on Lake Erie west of Cleveland. Neighbours said Thursday they frequently saw him walking the family dog to the nearby beach, but he rarely engaged in conversation and was never seen with friends.
“He was just an odd character,” explained Jody Burnsworth, who has lived next door to the family since 2012. “He was not rude. He was always quiet. When he walked, he appeared to be constantly focused on something.
She claimed she had an uneasy feeling about him and never opened her bedroom drapes on the side of the house that faced his home.
“I hate that I thought that,” she admitted. “He sort of gave me the creeps. Sometimes he just looked at you strangely.”
Parker’s home was searched for over five hours on Wednesday night. According to Burnsworth, officers broke an upstairs window and used a drone during the search.
Parker’s father grew up in the house, and the neighbours described the couple as very nice.
According to Burnsworth, Parker was hired at the post office last year but soon quit due to the difficulty of the job.
