Three Lorain police officers were shot Wednesday afternoon in what officials described as an ambush attack. Two of the officers are in critical condition, and the suspect is dead.
According to Acting Lorain Police Chief Michael Failing, the shooting happened around 1 p.m. near the intersection of Missouri and Colorado Avenues, where officers Phillip Wagner and Peter Gale were taking a lunch break in their cruisers after purchasing a pizza. The officers were parked side by side at the dead end of Missouri Avenue when gunfire erupted.
Failing said the suspect had been parked nearby and was “lying in wait” with a cache of weapons. He allegedly opened fire with a high-powered rifle, striking both Wagner and Gale. Officer Wagner suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was flown in critical condition to MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland. Gale, who was shot in the hand, was taken to Mercy Health.
Officer Brent Payne responded to the initial shots and called for backup. As he arrived at the scene to assist, he was also shot multiple times while still in his cruiser. Payne was also airlifted to MetroHealth in critical condition.
Additional officers rushed to the scene, quickly loading the wounded officers into patrol cars and transporting them to hospitals.
The suspect, identified only as a 28-year-old man, died at the scene. Authorities have not yet determined whether he was killed by police gunfire or died from a self-inflicted wound, according to Elyria Police Chief Duane Welsh. Officials confirmed there was only one shooter, despite early reports suggesting a possible second suspect. Officers searched the nearby woods out of an abundance of caution but found no additional threats.
The Elyria Police Department is leading the investigation with assistance from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
Names of the wounded officers were released by Chief Failing: Phillip Wagner and Brent Payne remain hospitalized in critical condition, while Peter Gale is recovering from his injury.
