YORK COUNTY, Pa. — One year after being shot eight times in an ambush, York County Sheriff’s Lt. Dave Godfrey spoke with WGAL to share what his life looks like today.
“I’ve had to slow down a lot,” Godfrey said. “I used to be a guy that — I would have 10 things going on at one time. Mentally, I could still do it. Physically, I can’t.”
The Sept. 17, 2025 shooting killed Northern York County Regional Police Detective Sgt. Cody Becker, Detective Mark Baker and Detective Isaiah Emenheiser. Officers were serving a warrant at a home when the suspect opened fire as they entered the front door.
One of the bullets from the shooting severed Godfrey’s sciatic nerve, leaving him with little control over one of his feet. In May, Godfrey took a step, heard a snap and fell after his foot turned beneath him. The fall broke his leg.
Doctors have told Godfrey that it could take as long as three years to determine whether the nerve will recover. He also continues to experience pain from injuries that included broken ribs, a collapsed lung, the loss of his spleen and extensive trauma to his torso.
Godfrey described the lingering chest pain as feeling like “there’s somebody inside my chest trying to dig their way out.”
Godfrey told WGAL that his family has had to make adjustments, taking things slower than before his injuries. The incident gave him more appreciation for time with his family.
Despite his continuing physical pain, Godfrey said he chooses to remain optimistic.
“Why be miserable?” Godfrey told WGAL. “We all have a choice to make, and I think miserable is not an option.”
Godfrey has turned part of his recovery toward serving others, organizing toy and blood drives and speaking with students and new law enforcement recruits.
His reason for encouraging blood donations is personal: He lost seven pints after the shooting.
“You wonder, you’re giving blood, does it really make a difference?” he said. “Well, I’m still walking around because of it.”
Appointments to donate blood can be made at redcrossblood.org.
