NORTH CODORUS TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A man wanted for stalking ambushed five police officers at his ex-girlfriend’s home, fatally shooting three of them and wounding two others before he was killed in a shootout, the Associated Press reported.
Police had arrived at the home around 2:10 p.m. on Sept. 17 to serve misdemeanor warrants for 24-year-old Matthew James Ruth, who was accused of stalking a woman he had briefly dated. Officers noticed the door to the home was unlocked, though the residents had secured it before leaving. As they entered the door, Ruth opened fire with an AR-style rifle equipped with a suppressor, York County District Attorney Tim Barker said.
Ruth shot four Northern York County Regional Police officers at close range, killing Detective Sgt. Cody Becker, Detective Mark Baker and Detective Isaiah Emenheiser. A York County deputy was wounded outside during an exchange of gunfire before officers shot and killed Ruth.
The fourth Northern York County Regional detective was critically wounded but survived. A fifth detective, who had been positioned outside and was not injured, returned fire, fatally shot Ruth and then began rendering aid. He checked on the three detectives inside the home before moving to assist the wounded deputy, Barker said.
The Northern York County Regional Police detective and York County deputy remain in critical but stable condition at WellSpan York Hospital.
Ruth had reportedly been seen near the home the night before the shooting. According to a police affidavit, the woman’s mother called authorities after spotting a man in camouflage with binoculars outside the house. A trail camera photo showed someone aiming a scoped rifle at the home.
Investigators said Ruth eluded officers that night, prompting police to return on Sept. 17 with arrest warrants. The woman had previously reported that her car had been set on fire in August and believed Ruth was responsible.
Investigators also later found that the woman’s dog had been shot and killed in the basement.
Officers later searched Ruth’s home in Hanover, about 10 miles away, and collected evidence. Police had also deployed a drone from the York County Sheriff’s Office to search fields and outbuildings around the property, but Ruth evaded capture the night before the shooting, Barker said.
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“This was a calculated ambush,” Barker said.
Northern York County Regional Police Chief Dave Lash described the slain officers as respected leaders who “served with professionalism, dedication and courage.”
A heavy police presence remained at the scene on Sept. 18. Community members gathered to pay respects, holding flags and lining the roads as a procession of emergency vehicles transported the fallen officers. Flowers were placed outside the police department in tribute.
Barker said all actions by law enforcement were not only justified, but necessary.
This article, originally published at 11:24 a.m. ET on Sept. 18, has been updated with the identities of the fallen officers.
