DEADLY AMBUSH IN RURAL PENNSYLVANIA: Three Cops Killed, Two Wounded in Horror Shooting
- Three police officers shot dead, two critically injured in rural Pennsylvania ambush
- Shooter killed by police after opening fire on officers responding to domestic disturbance
- Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro vows to “do better” to prevent such tragedies, highlighting need for mental health support
Tragedy has struck in rural Pennsylvania, where three police officers have been killed and two more left fighting for their lives after a shooting in North Codorus Township, about 185 kilometres west of Philadelphia.
The officers were responding to a domestic disturbance situation that began the previous day when they were ambushed by a gunman, who was later shot and killed by police.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has spoken out about the tragedy, saying the officers “represent the very best of us”. “This kind of violence is not OK, we need to do better as a society,” he said.
The Governor also highlighted the need for better mental health support, saying “we need to help the people who think that picking up a gun, picking up a weapon is the answer to resolving disputes”.
Authorities have not yet released the identities of the officers or the shooter, nor have they described the circumstances of the shooting, citing the ongoing investigation.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the community, with US Attorney-General Pam Bondi describing the violence against police as a “scourge on our society”.
Federal agents are on the scene to support local officers, and an investigation is underway to determine the circumstances of the shooting.
Meanwhile, the two injured officers remain in critical but stable condition at York Hospital.
The tragedy is one of the deadliest days for Pennsylvania police this century, following a similar incident in February when an officer was killed in a hospital shootout.
In 2009, three Pittsburgh officers were ambushed and killed by a man in a bulletproof vest, highlighting the dangers faced by police every day.
Locals have described the scene as “eerie” and “chaotic”, with about 30 police vehicles blocking off roads bordered by a barn, a goat farm, soybean and corn fields.