Lorain Officer Fatally Ambushed During Lunch Break

On July 23, 2025, Officer Phillip C. Wagner of the Lorain Police Department was fatally shot during an ambush while at lunch with his partner. The assailant, identified as Michael Joseph Parker, also injured another officer before being killed in a subsequent shootout. Officer Wagner succumbed to his injuries the following day. On July 25, a large police procession transported Wagner’s body from the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office in Cleveland to a North Ridgeville funeral home. Hundreds of officers and community members mourned along the route. A candlelight vigil was held outside Lorain City Hall, where residents commemorated Wagner’s service and sacrifice.