Three Lorain police officers injured, suspect dead after 'ambush' shooting (UPDATE) (VIDEOS)

LORAIN — Three Lorain police officers were shot, two critically injured, by a man who lay in wait on a dead-end street on Lorain's east side on Wednesday afternoon. Officers Peter Gale and Phillip Wagner pulled off River Bend Drive in the Colorado Industrial Park to split a pizza for lunch just after 1 p.m. when a man opened fire with an "arsenal of weapons," Deputy Chief Michael Failing said during a news conference outside Cleveland's MetroHealth Medical Center. Failing said Officer Brent Payne also was shot in his patrol vehicle multiple times as he responded to help Gale and Wagner. The suspect, identified by Lorain County Coroner Dr. Frank Miller as Michael Parker, 28, of Lorain, died by a gunshot wound at the scene, Failing said. "He was lying in wait and opened fire with multiple rounds at both of the officers sitting in their vehicles," Failing said. One of the officers called out for "shots fired" over the police radio system and gunshots can be heard over the scanner traffic. "He's got a rifle, he's got a rifle, get down … Officer down," one officer yells. 'I'm shot, someone f****** help me," an officer said. Other Lorain police officers responded to the Industrial Park and loaded the wounded men into the back of their patrol cars and drove to Mercy Health - Lorain for care. Wagner and Payne, both struck multiple times and in serious condition, were flown to MetroHealth Medical Center. Gale was struck in the hand and treated at Mercy Health. Wagner and Gale were hired by the department in 2022; Payne in 2017. Councilman Tony Dimacchia, D-at Large, said he was leaving Lorain School's Transportation Center on Colorado Avenue when he saw the scene start to unfold. He said one of the officers was thrown into the back of a patrol vehicle, his legs hanging out the side of the vehicle as his fellow officers hurried to get him away from the scene and to a hospital. As Wagner, Payne and Gale were rushed to hospitals for treatment, officers from myriad departments responded to the area, including multiple SWAT teams and several fire departments called to provide emergency medical services alongside LifeCare and MetroHealth ambulances. The scene stretched into Cromwell Park and along the Black River where police searched for a potential second shooter. A helicopter from the State Highway Patrol, as well as drones, buzzed overhead while boats launched from the Black River Wharf off West 14th Street and searched waterways. Much of Colorado Avenue on the east side was shut down to motorists, and businesses near the Industrial Park shuttered for the day. After hours of searching, Elyria Police Chief James Welsh confirmed it was a lone gunman as he spoke during a news conference from River Bend Drive. The Sheriff's Office handled the scene as the tactical lead, and Sheriff Jack Hall said the search of the area was a precautionary measure. "From what was viewed at the scene during the incident, there was the possibility that there could have been a second shooter," Hall said. "We dispelled that, so we have cleared that possibility now." Welsh addressed the media because the Elyria Police Department is leading the investigation into the officer involved shooting. "I can not confirm if the suspect took his own life, at this point, or if it was the return fire from law enforcement," Welsh said. "This was an ambush situation. Again, this is a difficult day for the Lorain Police Department and the law enforcement community." Welsh said that Elyria will be assisted in the investigation by the Sheriff's Office, state Bureau of Criminal Investigation and other state, local and federal agencies. Members of the Lorain County SWAT team and the Elyria Police Department carried out a raid and search at a home at 1509 North Lakeview Blvd. several hours after the shooting. A neighbor confirmed that Parker lived at that home with his parents and had the entire time she lived in the neighborhood. She said that Parker had been a nice man who would walk to nearby Lakeview Park daily, but that he was "always different." She added that he had never caused any issues in the area as far as she was aware. Members of Parker's family gathered across the street during the search, crying and embracing while surrounded by police officers. Parker is the grandson of former Lorain mayor William Parker, who served as a councilman for 18 years and led the city from 1980 to 1984, according to William Parker's obituary. Welsh said he could not comment on what evidence, if any, was recovered during the search. Parker has no criminal history in Lorain County according to Common Pleas and municipal court records outside three traffic tickets. The most recent were issued by Lorain police in 2022 and 2023. One of the officers shot — Officer Wagner — cited Parker with leaving the scene of an accident and going left of center, both misdemeanor traffic offenses, on Nov. 9, 2022. Parker's leaving the scene of an accident charge was dismissed in Lorain Municipal Court in May 2023, and Parker pleaded no contest to going left of center. Judge Mark Mihok found him guilty and ordered Parker to pay $317 in fines and court costs, according to court records. Parker's attorney in that court case, Ken Lieux, said Wednesday he didn't remember the case and couldn't comment on it. It wasn't known if Parker knew when he allegedly opened fire on the officers that one of them had ticketed him two-and-a-half years ago. He also was convicted of following too closely, a misdemeanor, in Lorain Municipal Court in 2023 and Avon Lake Municipal Court in 2018 and paid fines in each case, according to court records. While searching Parker's car at the scene following the shooting, police found multiple guns as well as explosives. Those explosives were detonated at the scene by a bomb squad from the Cleveland office of the FBI, Welsh said. Hall said that the scene of the gun battle was extensive, taking place over a sizable portion of River Bend Drive. Welsh said that there were multiple crime scenes along the road that would need to be investigated. Colorado Avenue Industrial Park is a long-vacant property on the city's east side. It has walking trails and a paved and lighted roadway, but no active businesses. "We pray for the officers' families," Welsh said. "I want to extend my prayers and condolences for the Lorain Police Department and all the law enforcement officers that responded here today to assist in this investigation. I want to commend the officers who encountered the suspect for their bravery and heroic efforts in preventing other people from being injured." Payne is a veteran officer who provides field training for rookies, served on the Lorain police Honor Guard and has been credited with saving dozens of people from fatal drug overdoses with naloxone. His brother Craig Payne is a detective with the Lorain Police Department. Both Wagner and Gale joined the department in 2022. An Arizona native who joined the U.S. Marine Corps out of high school, Wagner deployed to Afghanistan twice, in 2009 and 2011, according to an interview he gave to WestLife News in 2020. Wagner joined the Sheffield Police Department on a part-time basis in 2018, became a full-time officer with Sheffield police in 2020, according to his WestLife interview. Gale joined the department after serving as a police officer in Perkins Township. He is a Sandusky-area native. Welsh said those with information about the incident should contact Elyria police at (440) 323-3302. Support and reaction Words of comfort, care and praise came in from all over the state and Northeastern Ohio, with dozens of police and fire departments posting messages on their official Facebook pages. State Rep. Joe Miller, D-Amherst, and state Sen. Nathan Manning, R-North Ridgeville, offered their thoughts and prayers to the officers and families affected on Wednesday. "I am praying for the quick and full recovery of our Lorain police officers who were shot in the line of duty today," Miller wrote. "My thoughts are also with the families of the officers in this difficult moment. I thank our brave law enforcement officials who acted to protect the people of Lorain." "I am deeply saddened by the news of today's tragic events in Lorain. My thoughts and prayers go to the officers and their families as we hope for the best," Manning wrote. Lorain Mayor Jack Bradley said he received a call from Gov. Mike DeWine giving support to Lorain police, and a message from U.S. Sen. Jon Husted's office. "It's a tragic day in the city of Lorain but we're a strong city and we're going to move forward. We welcome all your prayers and support for our police officers," Bradley said. In a separate statement, DeWine offered his prayers to those impacted by the targeted attack on Lorain's law enforcement. Ohio Fraternal Order of Police President Jay McDonald spoke at the press conference outside MetroHealth on Wednesday, noting since January, 166 law enforcement officers in the country have been shot. "Now we add three more names to that list and all of these men and women behind me came running to help, into a hail of gunfire, to help their brothers," McDonald said, referencing several Lorain police officers standing behind him. "... Quite frankly, it's time for all of us to come together and put a stop to this – police, judges, legislators and the general public need to stand together and condemn the senseless, cowardly violence like we saw today." Multiple local police agencies throughout Lorain County and across the region also posted condolences, thoughts and prayers to their social media accounts. Lorain City Hall is closed today and Friday. Past incidents The last time multiple Lorain police officers were injured in the line of duty during the same incident was in 1969. On Jan. 9, 1969, officers Michael Yuhas and David Rakich responded to a marital dispute around 1 p.m. in which a husband had abducted his estranged wife. The man, Walter Layne, pulled out a concealed weapon while officers were searching him and fired point-blank at Yuhas and Rakich. Both were hospitalized and eventually recovered from their injuries. The only Lorain police officer to be shot and killed in the line of duty died more than 101 years ago. According to the Officer Down Memorial Page, Patrolman Fred Webber was shot and killed on Dec. 22, 1923, while trying to arrest a drunken man at a restaurant on Broadway. Webber chased the man, they struggled and both men were shot, Webber fatally. The suspect was charged with shooting with intent to kill and served one year in prison, according to ODMP.org. Webber had been with Lorain police for six years. Two other Lorain police officers have been killed in the line of duty, neither one shot. Patrolman Charles Deal died during a vehicle pursuit when he was struck by a hit-and-run driver in 1925 and Patrolman George Kirk died from a fall down an elevator shaft in 1944. Reporter Dave O'Brien contributed to this report. Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com. Contact Owen MacMillan at omacmillan@chroniclet.com.