Gunman who ambushed and killed three York County police officers who were following up on an investigation that had begun the day before has been identified

Officers were going to arrest 24-year-old Matthew James Ruth, of Hanover, on stalking charges when he unleashed the fatal rounds of gunfire

Ruth was charged earlier in the day with stalking, prowling at nighttime and criminal trespass after he was suspected of lurking around a woman’s home in North Codorus Township late Tuesday,

Slain officers were identified as Det. Sgt. Cody Becker, Det. Mark Baker and Det. Isaiah Emenheiser, while two other officers who were injured are hospitalized, listed as critical but stable

Ruth was killed in the shootout with police

Investigators in the trespass incident were told by the resident’s daughter that on Aug. 20, 2025, unknown persons set her pick-up truck on fire while it was sitting in their driveway

She d believes the arsonist could be her ex-boyfriend, Mathew Ruth, who had been seen on surveillance camera skulking around the home

Det. Sgt. Cody Becker, [left], Det. Isaiah Emenheiser, [right], and Det. Mark Baker died at the scene after they were ambushed when trying to arrest Mathew Ruth James at a home in North Codorus Township, PA on Wednesday

Three officers were killed and two others left in critical condition from an apparent ambush in rural Pennsylvania on Wednesday afternoon. Police were there to investigated a domestic related situation at a property in North Codorus Township.
Police were at the home following up on an investigation that had begun the day before when the gunman opened fire. Officers were going to arrest 24-year-old Matthew James Ruth, of Hanover, on stalking charges according to sources, when he unleashed the fatal rounds of gunfire.
The slain officers were identified as Det. Sgt. Cody Becker, Det. Mark Baker and Det. Isaiah Emenheiser, members of the Northern York County Regional Police.

Cops in York, PA, were following up on a domestic related call at the home, around 2:10 p.m. on Wednesday a gunman opened fire, killing three and wounding two more before the shooter was killed. Injured officers were taken to a nearby hospital via helicopter 

Pennsylvania state police troopers and emergency workers blocked the road in rural Hanover, during the police involved shooting incident on Sept. 17

On Wednesday when police followed up on a domestic-related probe that began the previous day.
Ruth was charged earlier in the day with stalking, prowling at nighttime and criminal trespass after he was suspected of lurking around a woman’s home in North Codorus Township late Tuesday, according to the probable cause affidavit.
In an affidavit of probable cause, officers wrote that they were called to the home in the 1800 block of Haar Road in North Codorus Township around 11:24 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, for a resident reporting a male was on her property and was looking into the residence with binoculars.
Officers were advised that the resident could see the man, who she said was wearing camouflage, standing in the driveway of the home.

A firefighter at the scene with his hands over his head as the incident that claimed the lives of three officers as well as the gunman, unfolds in rural York County, Pennsylvania on Wednesday afternoon

Northern York County Regional Police Department officers responded to the home, and were unable to locate the male described in the report.
Officers located a black pickup truck parked on Emig Road near the residence, which the affidavit states matches the model of a 2000 black Ford Ranger pickup truck that Ruth was known to operate.
Investigators spoke with the resident’s daughter, who told them that on Aug. 20, 2025, unknown persons set her pick-up truck on fire while it was sitting in the home’s driveway, according to the affidavit.
A fire investigator responded to the residence on Sept. 13, 2025, and determined the fire was intentionally set, the documents show.
The daughter believed that the culprit for the fire may be her ex-boyfriend, whom she identified as Ruth, the documents state. The mother and daughter who reside in the home told investigators they installed a trail cam after the daughter’s vehicle was torched.

Police on Wednesday evening search the North Codorus Township home where Ruth had been charged allegedly for stalking a resident . He shot and killed multiple officers there to execute his arrest, before he was neutralized

Investigators were provided with photographs captured on a trail camera at the residence on Tuesday night, which they state show Ruth allegedly peering towards the home with “a scope device.”
In the documents, officers noted that in the images captured on Tuesday night, Ruth “had an AR-15 style rifle slung across the chest while looking into the residence.”
“Over the next several hours, officers attempted to locate Ruth in the area, but were unsuccessful,” the documents wrote.

The shooting happened Wednesday afternoon at a farm along Haar Road near Emig Road in North Codorus Township

An initial 911 call then came in at 2.10pm, followed by a series of calls, including one that said ‘officer down’ and ‘signal 13,’ which means an officer in trouble. More than 30 rounds of continuous gunfire was heard, according to witness accounts.
An initial 911 call came in at 2.10pm, followed by a series of calls, including one that said ‘officer down’ and ‘signal 13,’ which means an officer in trouble. 
At least 30 shots were fired in the barrage, one witness said. The gunman was then killed when police returned fire.

Law enforcement investigate the fatal shooting, as first responders converged quickly when it was reported on Wednesday afternoon

At Thursday press conference York County police said officers were called to the same area on Haar Road in North Codorus Township about 15 hours prior to the shooting for a report of a man she identified as Ruth looking into a home with binoculars and wearing camo.
After police searching for Ruth could not find him, officers obtained an arrest warrant on charges including stalking, loitering, prowling, and criminal trespass. 
On Wednesday, the officers returned to the area to search for Ruth and interviewed his family. Police returned to the ex-girlfriend’s property and found that the front door was unlocked despite no one being home.
According to District Attorney Tim Baker, the officers opened the front door and were immediately met with gunfire from Ruth. All three officer from the Northern York County Regional Police, died at the scene from their injuries.

Police ride during a procession Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025, in Spring Grove, Pennsylvania, in honor of the officers killed when they were ambushed trying to make an arrest in Hanover earlier in the day

The fourth Northern York police officer and the deputy sheriff were toward the road and returned fire at Ruth. The deputy sheriff was struck by gunfire and returned to cover as a shootout ensued, Baker said.
Ruth moved toward the road and continued a gunfight with law enforcement until he was fatally struck.
DA Baker said it’s believed Ruth also killed a dog at the property.
The three slain officers were publicly identified, at a press conference held on Thursday afternoon.
The two injured officers are listed in critical but stable condition, authorities said. Survivors were transported to WellSpan York Hospital where they are listed in critical but stable condition.