Three Ohio police officers were shot after a suspect ambushed them as they were eating their lunch, officials said.
Shortly after 1 p.m. local time on July 23, Lorain police officers Peter Gale and Phillip Wagner were parked in an industrial park when a suspect opened fire on their vehicles, striking both of them, Michael Failing, acting chief of police for Lorain, said at a news conference.
A third officer, Brent Payne, responded to the scene and was also shot. The suspect was shot and pronounced dead, Failing said.
Payne and Wagner were shot multiple times and airlifted to a local hospital for treatment. Gale was shot in the hand and was also undergoing medical treatment.
USA TODAY has reached out to Elyria Police, which is handling the investigation, and Lorain Police for more information.
‘This was an ambush situation’
Failing said Gale and Wagner had purchased a pizza and were parked side-by-side in their patrol vehicles eating their lunch when they were shot.
The suspect had parked at the undeveloped industrial park and was “lying in wait” with “an arsenal of weapons,” Failing said.
I have been briefed on the horrible officer-involved shooting in Lorain, which appears to have been a targeted attack on law enforcement. Fran and I are praying for the three Lorain Police Department officers who were shot in the line of duty today, and our thoughts are also with…
— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) July 23, 2025
“This was an ambush situation,” Jim Welsh, Elyria police chief, said at a news conference. “Again, this is a difficult day for the Lorain Police Department and the law enforcement community.”
Failing said this is the first major officer-involved shooting in Lorain, which is in northeast Ohio about 20 miles west of Cleveland, in 70 years.
Wounded officers were transported to hospital by colleagues
Failing said assisting officers who responded to the scene “loaded up the wounded officers in patrol vehicles and drove them to the hospital themselves.”
“It’s a tragic day in the city of Lorain,” Mayor Jack Bradley said during the news conference.
Ohio Gov. Mike Dewine also said in a social media statement that his thoughts are with the officers involved.
“This situation reminds us that those who work in law enforcement risk their lives every day for the safety of their communities,” Dewine said. “We are so very grateful for the men and women who willingly and bravely serve and protect.”
Welsh said the investigation into the shooting is ongoing.
Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at melina.khan@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 3 Lorain, Ohio, police officers shot in ambush, officials say
