A POLICE detective gunned down in a deadly ambush had shared tributes to fallen officers in his final Facebook posts, just days before his own life was cut short.
The officer, Detective Isaiah Emenheiser, was among three police officers killed in a horrifying attack linked to a suspected stalker.
Facebook/iemenheiserDetective Isaiah Emenheiser had only recently honored fellow officers on social media[/caption]
Facebook/iemenheiserEmenheiser, was among three lawmen killed in a horrifying attack linked to a suspected stalker[/caption]
York County Regional Police24-year-old Matthew James Ruth unleashed a hail of gunfire, killing three officers on the spot[/caption]
The massacre unfolded in York County, Pennsylvania, after police went to arrest 24-year-old Matthew James Ruth.
Authorities say Ruth hid inside his ex-girlfriend’s home, lying in wait with an AR-style rifle fitted with a suppressor.
As soon as detectives opened the door, he unleashed a hail of gunfire, striking three officers dead on the spot.
Emenheiser had only recently honored fellow officers on social media.
His last public post showed a tribute to Officer Andrew Duarte, who died in February.
Before that, he shared a memorial to Dave D. Tome, writing “in loving memory.”
A fitness-loving father of two never missed a chance to support colleagues and the wider law enforcement family.
The other victims in Wednesday’s gun battle were Detective Sergeant Cody Becker and Detective Mark Baker, both also members of the Northern York County Regional Police Department.
District Attorney Tim Barker said the officers were wearing bulletproof vests when they entered the property around 2.10 pm.
The front door was unlocked even though the ex-girlfriend and her mother had secured it before leaving for safety, raising fears Ruth may have broken in earlier.
The gunman fired multiple rounds without warning, sparking one of the deadliest days for law enforcement in the state this century.
Outside, two more officers exchanged gunfire with Ruth.
One sheriff’s deputy was wounded before police fatally shot the suspect.
Investigators later discovered the ex-girlfriend’s dog had also been killed in the basement.
Full timeline of York County cop shooting
MATTHEW James Ruth, 24, fatally shot three Northern York County Regional Police Department officers before being killed in a shootout, prosecutors say.
Here’s a full timeline of how the violence unfolded, according to Pennsylvania officials.
August: Ruth’s ex-girlfriend’s truck is set on fire, and she believes it was the suspect.
August 25: Ruth’s ex-girlfriend spots him pointing a weapon at her home.
The night of September 16: Ruth’s ex-girlfriend calls 911 after a trail camera catches Ruth sneaking around her home in camouflage with an AR-15 style weapon.
Morning of September 17: Officials decide to arrest Ruth.
Morning of September 17: Officers go to Ruth’s parents’ home to arrest him, but he is not there.
September 17: Ruth breaks into his ex-girlfriend’s home, kills their family dog, and lies in wait. His ex-girlfriend and his mom had left to go somewhere safe.
2:10 pm, September 17: Officers arrive at the ex-girlfriend’s property in North Codorus Township and notice the front door is unlocked.
Shortly after 2:10 pm, September 17: Ruth fires multiple rounds from an AR-15 rifle with a suppressor after officers open the door, killing three officers and critically injuring two others.
September 17: Ruth is eventually killed in a shootout with first responders.
3 pm Thursday: Tim Barker, district attorney for York County, holds a news conference and reveals the names of the suspect and the victim.
The violence capped off a string of disturbing incidents involving Ruth, who had been under investigation for stalking.
The woman’s mother first raised the alarm Tuesday night after spotting a man in camouflage using binoculars to spy on the home.
A trail camera later showed Ruth carrying a rifle and aiming a scope at the house.
The ex-girlfriend also told officers her vehicle had been torched in August, and she suspected Ruth was responsible.
Detectives first went to Ruth’s home in Hanover around noon on Wednesday but left after he was not found there.
Less than two hours later, the deadly ambush took place at his ex-girlfriend’s residence in North Codorus Township, about 46 miles north of Baltimore.
Tributes for the fallen officers poured in across Pennsylvania.
Governor Josh Shapiro ordered flags to be flown at half-staff and called the killings a “tragic and devastating day.”
He added: “We need to help the people who think that picking up a gun, picking up a weapon, is the answer to resolving disputes.”
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