A 24-year-old man from Hanover, Pennsylvania, has been identified as the suspect accused of shooting five police officers in York County on Wednesday.
Matthew J. Ruth, 24, was identified as the actor in the shooting, York County District Attorney Tim Barker said Thursday. Police said Ruth killed three police officers from the Northern York County Regional Police Department who were attempting to arrest him on stalking charges before being killed in a shootout with police.
Barker confirmed the identities of the three killed police officers as detective Sgt. Cody Becker, detective Mark Baker, and detective Isaiah Emenheiser. Two other officers were injured and were in critical but stable condition, authorities said.
Ruth had been charged on Wednesday with accusations of stalking, trespassing, and loitering and prowling at night, according to state court documents. Those three charges were filed in North Codorus Township, where the shooting occurred, one day before the deadly incident.
Barker said police officers had responded to a suspected incident of domestic violence on Tuesday night at the same home where the shooting occurred after a homeowner called with reports of a man peering through the home’s windows with binoculars. Ruth’s ex-girlfriend and her mother, who called in the reports, identified Ruth as the suspected stalker using footage caught on a camera, Barker said.
Police officers did not find Ruth on Tuesday night but went out the next day in an attempt to find and arrest him. When they returned to the home of the suspected stalking incident, the officers found Ruth inside, where he opened fire at the officers, Barker said.
The ex-girlfriend’s dog had been shot dead in the basement, police said.
Commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police Col. Christopher Paris confirmed Wednesday night that the shooter was dead and that “there is no current active threat.”
THREE OFFICERS DEAD AND TWO OTHERS INJURED IN PENNSYLVANIA SHOOTING
Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) said the day was “absolutely tragic and devastating” for the state.
“We grieve the loss of life of three precious souls who served this county, served this commonwealth, and served this country,” Shapiro said.
