Woman Reported Stalking By Ex. The Police Sent To Protect Her Were Killed

The man, 24-year-old Matthew Ruth, was accused of stalking a woman in the area, USA Today reported. Weeks earlier, a pickup truck at the woman’s home was set on fire.

Although she suspected Ruth, the woman requested that the police not investigate. She had only dated Matthew Ruth for a short time, York County officials said. He had never been to her house, and she never invited him there, they said, as per CNN.

On September 16, the woman’s mother reported seeing a man matching Ruth’s description on a trail camera outside the home.

He reportedly had an AR-15-style rifle strapped around his chest and seemed to scan the home through binoculars. Ruth’s black Ford Ranger was found about a km away, as per York County District Attorney Tim Barker.

Officers conducted a search using a drone. “Despite searching over the next several hours, a warrant was sworn out for (Ruth’s) arrest,” Tim Barker told CNN.

When officers approached the farmhouse on Wednesday afternoon, the front door, previously locked, was found open. As they entered, Ruth opened fire. “Upon (the officers) immediately opening the door, (Ruth) repeatedly fired at the officers with multiple rounds from an AR-15 style rifle,” Barker said. Detectives Sergeant Cody Becker, Mark Baker, and Isaiah Emenheiser were killed, while two other officers were wounded. Both injured officers remain in the hospital.

Officials said that Ruth was familiar with the home, despite the ex-girlfriend’s statements otherwise. He also fatally shot the family dog.

“Besides discovering the initial casings from where (Ruth) began his barrage of murderous activity, they also discovered in the basement that he had killed the black Labrador that was owned by his ex-girlfriend’s mother,” Barker said.

Matthew Ruth had been facing charges of stalking, loitering and prowling at night, and criminal trespass on the day of the shooting.