Pa. Police: Gunman Waited in Cornfield to Ambush, Kill Officers

According to authorities, an armed suspect dressed in camouflage was lying in wait in a North Codorus Township cornfield before opening fire on police, killing three officers and critically injuring two others.

By Zahriah Balentine

Source pennlive.com

Sept. 18, 2025

4 min read

What to know

Three North York County Regional Police officers were killed and two other officers were critically injured in an ambush Wednesday while serving a domestic-related arrest warrant in North Codorus Township.
Police said the suspect, dressed in camouflage and hiding in cornfields, opened fire on arriving officers before being shot and killed.
The FBI, ATF and York County District Attorney’s Office are assisting in the investigation, and the victims’ names have not yet been released.

A procession, which lasted for around seven minutes, honors three North York County Regional Police officers who were shot and killed Wednesday while serving an arrest warrant in North Codorus Township, PA.

A pre-planned ambush unfolded Wednesday afternoon in York County, leaving three police officers dead and two others critically injured who were attempting to serve a domestic-related warrant in North Codorus Township.

The officers responded to a farmhouse on Haar Road to serve an arrest warrant stemming from a stalking and criminal trespass investigation involving the homeowner’s ex-boyfriend, according to Pennsylvania State Police Col. Christopher Paris.

The suspect, dressed in camouflage, was lying in wait in nearby cornfields and opened fire around 2:10 p.m. as officers arrived, according to a report from CNN.

Police told CNN the gunman struck and killed three officers, before moving toward the farmhouse and wounding two more.

One officer was able to return fire, killing the shooter, CNN reported. Authorities have not yet released the names of the officers or the suspect.

By Madison Montag

Source pennlive.com

Officials in York County on Wednesday night held a procession after three police officers were killed and two others were critically injured while following up on a domestic investigation earlier in the day.

The shooting, which took place at a North Codorus Township property around 2:10 p.m., ended with police shooting the gunman, Pennsylvania State Police Colonel Christopher Paris said at a press conference alongside Gov. Josh Shapiro.

Officials would not say where exactly the incident took place during Wednesday’s press conference, but NBC10 said the incident stemmed from a warrant service in the area of Haar Road. Police

Wednesday night’s procession, which included police and fire vehicles from several municipalities in central Pennsylvania, started at the scene of the shooting and ended at the York County Prison, where the county coroner’s office is housed.

In addition to firefighters, police and EMS workers from across central Pennsylvania, dozens of residents were in attendance as the procession took about seven minutes to pass as it arrived at the coroner’s office.

The identities and ages of the involved police officers and shooter remain unclear as of Wednesday night. When asked which police departments the officers worked for, Paris said that information was intentionally being withheld.

PennLive spoke with a group at the procession who said they were relatives and friends of one of the officers killed. They said the officer was around 42 years old, but did not share the name.

Many others who came to watch the procession were flying American flags and “thin blue line” flags, a black-and-white version of the American flag with one blue stripe to honor law enforcement.

One woman was seen draping a thin blue line flag over her body.

A log of 911 calls described the incident as “officer down,” with a “signal 13,” which means officer in trouble. Officers needed medical transport, according to dispatch logs, with a medivac helicopter and ambulances sent to the scene.

Officials at WellSpan York Hospital said the two critically injured officers were immediately taken to the operating room. Both were in “critical but stable” condition as of Wednesday evening.

More information regarding the incident is expected to be released by the York County District Attorney’s Office on Thursday.

The three fatalities mark one of the deadliest days for Pennsylvania police this century. In 2009, three Pittsburgh officers responding to a domestic disturbance were ambushed and shot to death by a man in a bulletproof vest.

In February, West York police officer Andrew Duarte was shot and killed inside UPMC Memorial while responding to a hostage situation in the hospital’s intensive care unit.

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Dave Miller, a local witness, described the scene to the news station as a lengthy and intense “war zone” with riot gear, long rifles, and large police presence. He said at least 30 rounds were fired, according to a report from WGAL.

“I’ve never been to war, I’m not a veteran. It seemed like a war zone,” Miller said to CNN.

Northern York County Regional police initially tried to serve the warrant Tuesday night, but the suspect could not be located. The woman who lived in the farmhouse had reported seeing her ex-boyfriend stalking the property earlier that day, prompting the issuance of both an arrest warrant and a restraining order.

The warrant was being served by officers from the Northern York County Regional Police and the Sheriff’s Office.

It remains unclear whether the shooter was targeting his ex-girlfriend or the police, the report said.

Roads were quickly blocked off, and a shelter-in-place order was briefly issued for the Spring Grove School District. Students were later safely transported home.

During a press conference held at WellSpan York Hospital, Paris confirmed that the two wounded officers remain in critical but stable condition.

He pledged a full and thorough investigation, with assistance from the FBI, ATF, and the York County District Attorney’s Office, which has convened a major case team.

“There are no words I can offer to assuage the grief the community experiences,” Paris said. “The grief will be unbearable, but we will bear it.”

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro called the incident “an absolutely tragic and devastating day for York County and the entire commonwealth of Pennsylvania.” He and other state leaders met with the families of the slain officers on Wednesday.

“We need to help the people who think that picking up a gun, picking up a weapon, is the answer to resolving disputes,” Shapiro said. “We need to do better when it comes to mental health, and dealing with those in need.

“We have to do better as a society,” Shapiro said.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the federal government stands ready to support the investigation, adding, “Violence against law enforcement is a scourge on our society and never acceptable. Pray for the officers involved.”

Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday, a former York County prosecutor, called the loss “unfathomable” and noted his personal ties to the area.

Wednesday night, dozens of police vehicles took part in a solemn procession for the three fallen officers. Community members lined the roads waving American flags, saluting the motorcade in a display of grief and solidarity.

The procession started at the scene of the shooting and ended at the York County Prison, where the county coroner’s office is housed.

The officers involved were part of the Northern York County Regional Police Department and the York County Sheriff’s Office, officials confirmed.

According to FBI data, 37 law enforcement officers have died in the line of duty in the U.S. so far this year.

Wednesday’s tragedy marks one of the deadliest days for Pennsylvania police in recent memory and comes just months after Officer Andrew Duarte was killed during a hostage situation in the same county.

The names of the victims are expected to be released once families are notified.

The investigation remains ongoing.

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