Three police officers lost their lives and two others were left critically injured in a shooting incident in Pennsylvania, authorities confirmed.
The officers were responding to a domestic-related investigation in York County’s North Codorus Township when the attack happened on Wednesday afternoon.
Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Colonel Christopher Paris said the gunman was shot dead by the police.
The shooting occurred shortly after 2 pm local time (6 p.m. GMT). Images from the scene showed injured officers being lifted into a medical helicopter for emergency evacuation.
The exchange of gunfire also prompted a temporary lockdown in the Spring Grove school district, a town with about 2,500 residents. The district later confirmed that the school was not directly impacted. Officials assured residents that there was no ongoing threat to the public.
Authorities revealed that the officers were following up on an investigation that had started the previous day. However, details of the incident remain limited as inquiries continue.
Governor Josh Shapiro visited the area in the afternoon, where he met with families of the slain officers. In his remarks, he mourned their deaths, saying, “We grieve for the loss of life of three precious souls who served this county, served this commonwealth, served this country. This kind of violence is not OK, we need to do better as a society.”
The governor also directed that all state flags across Pennsylvania be flown at half-mast in memory of the officers.
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that federal agents were working alongside local and state authorities. “Our prayers are with the officers, their families, and the entire York County community,” Patel said in a statement.
