By Martin Shwenk Leade

Copyright indiatimes

Matthew James Ruth was killed when responding officers returned fire

The gunman who killed three Pennsylvania cops from the same police department was identified by sources Thursday as a 24-year-old man. Matthew James Ruth was wanted for allegedly stalking his ex-girlfriend while brandishing an AR-15.Matthew James Ruth allegedly unleashed the fatal round of gunfire that also wounded two officers on Wednesday as police were following up on a domestic-related probe that began the day before. Ruth was killed by the police during the chaotic scene.He came under the radar of cops the night before when he was suspected of lurking around a home in North Codorus Township late Tuesday night, according to an affidavit. He was decked out in camouflage, looking into the home with binoculars, a 911 caller said. The camera images showed an AR-15 rifle around his chest and peering into the home, it says.ALSO READ: Matthew James Ruth accused of setting ex-girlfriend’s truck on fire and killing her dog? Chilling twist in Pennsylvania shootingWhat is AR-15 rifle?The AR-15 is one of the most popular – and ubiquitous – firearms in the US, with close to 25 million in civilian hands, according to McWhirter, a WSJ reporter.It’s been used in high-profile mass shootings, including the Uvalde, Texas, school shooting in 2022, the Parkland, Florida, high school shooting in 2018, the Las Vegas music festival shooting in 2017, the Orlando nightclub shooting in 2016, and the Newton, Connecticut, elementary school shooting in 2012. Live EventsAR-15s are legal in all 50 states. (Some states, including California, have restrictions on magazine size and modifications that can be used with them.) “It’s very easy to buy an AR-15 in this country,” McWhirter told The Guardian.ALSO READ: Matthew James Ruth wanted to target his ex-girlfriend? Shooter’s action in Pennsylvania shooting under radarDisturbing details about Matthew Ruth emergeThe stalker reportedly slaughtered his ex-girlfriends black Labrador then killed three police officers after she reported him to cops for staking out her home in camo gear with binoculars. Matthew James Ruth, 24, killed three Northern York County Regional Police Officers – Mark Baker, Cody Becker and Isaiah Emenheiser – Wednesday afternoon with an AR-15 style rifle.The seeds of the bloodbath were sewn after a man believed to be Ruth set his unnamed ex’s truck on fire on August 20. She then installed a trail camera and captured footage of the person she believed to be Ruth—dressed in the same outfit, holding binoculars, with a semi-automatic rifle slung around his neck.ALSO READ: Buffalo Bills vs Miami Dolphins turns ugly as Amazon highlights Tyreek Hill’s shocking allegations. What we knowAfter reporting the incident to police, five officers showed up at the woman’s home to serve a warrant for Ruth. But he was not found. Emenheiser then approached the front door, followed by his fellow officers, and was ‘repeatedly fired at’ by the alleged shooter. Emenheiser, Baker and Becker were all shot before Ruth allegedly fired his weapon at an officer and a deputy sheriff.Matthew Ruth fired 30 roundsRuth was killed when responding officers returned fire. The surviving officer and the sheriff’s deputy remain hospitalized in critical but stable condition. After the shootout, authorities found a black Labrador in the basement of the home that was allegedly shot dead by Ruth.Ruth’s ex-girlfriend told officers they hadn’t dated for a long time and she had never invited him to her mother’s home, Barker said. The DA said the deadly exchange lasted two minutes, and that the quick response from other law enforcement officers likely prevented further deaths.ALSO READ: Brett James dead at 57: Inside the life of the Grammy-winning hitmaker lost in plane crash Ruth was charged earlier Wednesday with stalking, prowling at nighttime, and criminal trespass, according to court records. Ruth is accused of ambushing police with one neighbor telling WGAL he heard at least 30 gunshots. “This kind of violence isn’t OK. We need to do better as a society,” said Gov. Josh Shapiro of the shooting. “We need to help the people who think picking up a gun, picking up a weapon is the answer to resolving disputes … So we don’t need to deal with tragedies like this.”Add as a Reliable and Trusted News Source Add Now!
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