Prosecutor rules shooting of suspect who ambushed Lorain police officers was justified

This story has been edited to correct the hospital where Officer Phillip Wagner died. It was MetroHealth Medical Center. ELYRIA – The Lorain County Prosecutor's Office ruled the shooting of a man who killed one Lorain police officer and injured two others in July as justified. Prosecutor Tony Cillo announced he would not present a case to the grand jury in the police shooting of Michael Parker, 28, of Lorain. Parker was shot and killed by Lorain officers after he ambushed two of their colleagues, killing Officer Phillip Wagner, 35, injuring officer Peter Gale and responding officer Brent Payne on July 23. In a months-long investigation into the ambush, Elyria police found Parker, who had a history of mental illness, had driven into the Colorado Avenue Industrial Park after Wagner and Gale had stopped there for lunch that afternoon. Parker opened fire on the pair and shot Wagner in the head. He died the next day at MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland. Parker then repositioned himself in the empty cul-de-sac and set up numerous rifles with scopes and other equipment, including thousands of rounds of additional ammunition. He opened fire on responding officer Brent Payne and on Gale, injuring both of them. Other responding officers shot and killed Parker at the scene, about 20 minutes after Wagner was shot. Cillo ruled the responding officers' use of force against Parker as "lawful and appropriate under the circumstances," according to a letter announcing the decision posted to the prosecutor's social media and website on Friday. This is a developing story. Check back for updates.