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Law enforcement in Ohio identified a slain police officer, and the man accused of killing him, after an ambush shooting that left two more officers injured took place on Wednesday.
Michael Parker, 28, was identified by the Elyria Police Department on Thursday as the man allegedly responsible for the “significant gunfire” officers were met with when responding to a call in Lorain, Ohio, on Wednesday afternoon.
A call went out from an on-duty officer after the radio broadcast picked up gunshots in the area of River Bend Drive.
As other Lorain officers arrived at the location, Parker “opened fire” on them with a “high-powered rifle,” according to Elyria Police Chief James Welsh.
SHOOTING WOUNDS THREE OHIO POLICE OFFICERS, TWO IN SERIOUS CONDITION, AS SUSPECT DIES
Parker was ultimately killed during an exchange of gunfire that also struck three Lorain officers. One of the officers, later identified as 35-year-old Phillip Wagner by the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office, died at the hospital on Thursday.
“Officer Wagner, only 35 years old, gave his life in service to his community, a sacrifice that words can never fully honor. He was not only a dedicated officer, but a husband, father, son, brother, and friend,” the LCSO wrote on Facebook. “His impact reached far beyond the badge, and his absence will be deeply felt by all who knew and served alongside him.”
The Elyria Police Department, which is leading the investigation into the deadly ambush, shared preliminary information on the case on its Facebook page.
OHIO DEPUTY STRUCK AND KILLED BY FATHER OF TEEN FATALLY SHOT BY OFFICER A DAY EARLIER: POLICE
Parker’s vehicle, which was parked near the dead end of River Bend Drive, allegedly had “multiple high-powered files, handguns, and a substantial quantity of loaded magazines” inside or near it when it was searched, Elyria police said.
Suspicious baggage was also located and concerns over possible explosive devices were raised, prompting a request for the Lorain County Bomb Squad.
“…bomb technicians discovered a significant quantity of improvised explosive materials within the vehicle. The materials were safely removed and disposed of through a controlled detonation away from the crime scene,” Elyria police said.
Wagner, a Marine veteran, served with Lorain police for three years and the Sheffield Village Police Department for four years, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page.
He is survived by his wife and two children.
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