3 Ohio Officers Shot, Gunman Dead After Lunchtime Ambush, Police Say

Three Ohio constabulary were shot, 2 aggregate times, aft a gunman opened fired connected 2 of them arsenic they ate a pizza luncheon successful their patrol cars Wednesday, nan constabulary main successful Lorain said.

The gunman, who constabulary said was fatally changeable astatine nan scene, had an “arsenal” of weapons and was “was lying successful wait” erstwhile he opened occurrence connected nan brace of parked patrol vehicles astir 1:05 p.m., Acting Police Chief Michael Failing said.

“It’s a tragic time successful nan metropolis of Lorain,” Mayor Jack Bradley said.

Two constabulary officers had bought a pizza and were parked side-by-side successful their patrol cars astatine nan dormant extremity of Missouri Avenue erstwhile nan gunman, who was besides parked astatine nan dormant end, opened fire, Failing said.

One of those officers was changeable successful nan manus and nan 2nd was changeable aggregate times, Failing said. A 3rd serviceman who heard nan telephone for thief and was driving to assistance was besides changeable aggregate times, he said.

The 2 officers changeable aggregate times were flown to a infirmary successful Cleveland. They were successful captious condition, Bradley said.

The investigation into nan shooting is being handled by nan constabulary section successful Elyria, a neighboring city, because it was an officer-involved shooting, officials said.

The gunman was identified Wednesday only arsenic a 28-year-old achromatic man pinch a past known reside successful Lorain.

"This was an ambush situation," Elyria Police Chief James Welsh told reporters.

The gunman opened occurrence connected nan officers pinch a "high-powered rifle," Welsh said. Police returned fire, he said.

The shooting took spot astatine an undeveloped business parkland that has stepping trails and immoderate streets, Failing said.

Officers who responded to nan telephone for thief loaded nan injured officers into patrol vehicles and drove them to nan hospital, he said.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine called nan shooting a "horrible officer-involved shooting successful Lorain, which appears to person been a targeted onslaught connected rule enforcement."

"Fran and I are praying for nan 3 Lorain Police Department officers who were changeable successful nan statement of work today, and our thoughts are besides pinch their families, friends, and chap officers successful northeast Ohio," DeWine said.

Failing was asked if he had immoderate accusation connected nan gunman and gave a blunt response.

"I person nary thought who he is, and I don’t care," Failing said.

Lorain and Elyria are cities of astir 65,000 and 53,000 astir 25 miles westbound of Cleveland.