(7-24-25) Lorain Police Officer Phillip Wagner (35) died Thursday from injuries sustained in an ambush shooting Wednesday afternoon. Wagner leaves behind a wife and three children.
Wagner was a 3-year veteran of the Lorain Police Department. He graduated from the police academy in 2018 and went on to work with the Sheffield Village Police.
He also served in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Wagner was pronounced deceased at MetroHealth Medical Center, where he had been receiving treatment for critical injuries.
Wagner and his partner, Officer Peter Gale, 51, were splitting a pizza on their lunch break around 1 p.m. when police said the suspect, Michael Parker (28) of Lorain ambushed them with a high-powered rifle.
Lorain Police Officer Brent Payne (47) rushed to help on the scene wasn’t also shot.
Michael Parker named suspect in Lorain ambush shooting that killed 1 officer, injured 2 others
Parker was pronounced dead at the scene after the shooting. According to the Elyria Police Department, officers returned fire during the exchange, which ultimately resulted in Parker sustaining a fatal injury.
Officer Payne is listed in critical condition at MetroHealth in Cleveland.
Officer Gale was taken to Mercy Medical with a gunshot wound to the hand.
The Elyria Police Department is handling the investigation and has requested assistance from the Ohio BCI.
Mercer County Outlook 