On Wednesday afternoon three police officers were killed and two others were critically wounded during a domestic-related call in York County on Wednesday afternoon. The gunman was identified as 24-year-old Matthew James Ruth, who was also killed.
The shooting happened about 115 miles west of Philadelphia in North Codorus Township.
According to court documents and law enforcement, Ruth was being sought on stalking and trespassing charges. The police made an appearance at the scene the day before, then returned Wednesday to search for Ruth. He was also charged with loitering and prowling at night.
In a press conference on Thursday, according to officials the mother of his ex-girlfriend made the initial call to the police after Ruth was caught on motion activated cameras around the property the night before. He was peering towards the house with binoculars. Officials also said he was armed with an “AR-15-style rifle,” and that his ex-girlfriend was able to identify him in the security footage. His ex-girlfriend also revealed that she believed Ruth was behind her truck being set on fire back on August 20 at the property. The police were not aware of that incident until September 11.
Five detectives with Northern York County Regional Police visited Ruth’s house in Hanover to serve a warrant on the day of the shooting, but he wasn’t there. The detectives interviewed his family members before returning to his ex-girlfriend’s house in North Codorus Township.
According to York County District Attorney Tim Barker, a deputy sheriff was joined by five detectives at the property and they found the house unlocked. Barker claimed as soon as the detectives went in the house to investigate, Ruth was waiting inside with an assault rifle and he began firing. A shootout occurred and it ended after a little more than two minutes. Three detectives — Detective Mark Baker, Sgt. Cody Becker, and Isaiah Emenheiser were killed along with Ruth.
The Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police made a statement on Thursday stating that Detective Baker worked in the city’s 25th Police District and highway patrol in the early 2000s before moving to York County.
The other detectives and the deputy sheriff are still in critical, but stable condition in the hospital. The ex-girlfriend and her mother were not at the residence when the shootout occurred, and they remain uninjured.
“There is one motive that is clear for everything, and that is the hateful scourge of domestic violence,” said Barker. “That is what brought us here, this is what brought law enforcement here. And yes, thanks to the actions of the Northern York County Regional Police Department supported by the York County Sherriff’s Department, we have two lives of the residents there that are saved today.”
“There are simply no words that I can offer to assuage the grief that this community has experienced, and unfortunately will continue to experience,” said Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Christopher Paris. “The grief will be unbearable, but we will bear it.”
According to Paris, there is no active threat in that area. The investigation is being aided by agencies including the FBI.
Governor Josh Shapiro met with the families of the victims, and he addressed the issues of gun violence in a press briefing.
“These families took time to tell us how proud they are of their loved ones.” Shapiro said. “It’s an extraordinary thing these law enforcement families do. They support the individual who puts on the uniform and runs towards danger.”
Shapiro used the briefing for broader reforms.
“We need to do better as a society. We need to help the people who think picking up a weapon is the answer to resolving disputes. We need to do better when it comes to mental health so we don’t have to deal with tragedies like this.”
Hours after the violence, American flags were held by community members and they saluted as police and emergency vehicles formed a procession to the coroner’s office.
Shapiro ordered U.S. and Pennsylvania flags to be flown at half-staff. This is about seven months after a shooting at a hospital in Shiloh, York County, killed West York Police Officer Andrew Duarte.
