Ambush
The Ambush topic page features safety tips, columnist commentary and the latest news updates on the growing threat of targeted attacks against police officers.
In 1987, Tom Weitzel was issuing a parking ticket when he was ambushed and shot by a gang member; the incident taught him the importance of standing by his officers in the best and worst of times
Training techniques designed to safeguard police officers against increasing ambush threats in diverse environments
The chaotic event killed officer Jake Wallin, 23, and wounded officers Andrew Dotas and Tyler Hawes; the only officer left standing, Zach Robinson, stopped the heavily armed shooter without hesitation
Based on evidence at the scene, police believe the suspect may have lured officers to the home in order to ambush them
The officer and his partner were on patrol in uniform when they pulled over to talk to two men; one of them whipped out a gun and started firing
The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund will be holding its Law Enforcement Officers Firearms Survival Summit on Jan. 31, 2023
A roundup of the biggest stories impacting law enforcement in 2022
The suspect waited for officers to round a corner near an apartment building, striking one several times
Sgt. Eric Kocheran was placed in a medically induced coma after being shot in the chest outside his police station last month
Identifying lessons learned with the life-saving goal of preventing future LEO deaths
In July 2022, the suspect threw another Molotov cocktail near a staging area for marked patrol cars at the same PD
Deputy Darrin Lawson had his left leg amputated below the knee after being wounded in what’s being called the deadliest police shooting in state history
Police were searching for a burglary suspect when they found him hiding in a storage area under a bed armed with a pistol
The state Supreme Court has denied two stays and the governor announced he would not grant clemency to Kevin Johnson
When the suspect was asked about why he assaulted the officer, he said: “It’s Thanksgiving. I didn’t have anyone to spend it with. I might as well take it out on y’all”
The suspect lured the deputy to the police station’s door by telling him someone was threatening his family
Three officers were killed after a man with a rifle opened fire on police attempting to serve a warrant in June
The police union is now calling on the department to ensure officers are equipped with all the lifesaving equipment they need – without spending their own money
Police were called to a neighborhood for a report of shots fired; they later encountered a man who pulled out a shotgun after being asked to remove his hand from his pocket
The woman moved her car in the path of incoming gunfire to shield the already wounded cops; she then assisted one cop by pressing a towel to his wound to stop the bleeding
Watch this online learning event to gain an improved skill set that enhances both field performance and survival skills
Both officers were shot at close range, with the suspect opening fire after the LEOs began questioning him about his involvement in another shooting
The gunman, who is still at large, reportedly fired the shots using a long gun from the roof of a building in Newark
The suspect, who had visited the station hours prior, said he wanted to talk about “a person who was a danger”
“Anything any of us could have needed, if we asked him for help on something, Alex Hamzy was always there to offer a hand.”
“Dustin DeMonte was one of those officers who was not just doing a job. He was working for the community.”
The footage is part of a preliminary report by the state’s Office of the Inspector General
Bristol police said Officer Alec Iurato was hit by gunfire and returned fire, killing the shooter
The number of ambushes in which police were injured or killed in surprise attacks with little chance to defend themselves has soared since 2020
The officers were responding to a 911 call about an apparent dispute between two brothers that appears to have been a deliberate act to lure LE to the scene
She told the dispatcher her husband knew she would call police for his intoxication, so gathered ammunition to meet police with gunfire at front door
Washington State Patrol Trooper Dean Atkinson was rammed by a vehicle and then shot
The device captured footage during the standoff when Devin Weiland shot at the drone and at an armored vehicle brought into the area to deploy tear gas
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- ‘If they come at me, I’m coming at them’: BWC video shows ambush shooting that wounded 7 Texas officers
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- Minneapolis police release bodycam of shooting that killed Officer Jamal Mitchell
- Ambush attacks on police remain high, with 56 officers shot through July 2025