In late July, the city of Lorain, Ohio, was left shattered when Officer Phillip C. Wagner, a Marine veteran, father of three, and newly minted SWAT officer, was ki**ed in a br*tal amb*sh that also injured two of his fellow officers.
A D**dly A**ack in July
On July 24, Wagner, 35, was eating lunch with fellow officer Peter Gale, 51, when a g*nm*n opened f*re at the d**d-end of an industrial parkway off Colorado Avenue. Police say Michael Parker, 28, had been lying in wait with an ars*nal of w**pons.
Both Gale and Officer Brent Payne, 47, were str/ck during the g*nfig*t and remained hospitalized after being rushed for treatment. Parker d**d after being sh*t multiple times in an exchange of f*re with officers.
Wagner, however, was critically wounded. He passed away on Thursday, July 25, at MetroHealth Medical Center, surrounded by his loved ones.
A Career of Dedication
Before serving in Lorain, Wagner spent years in the United States Marine Corps and worked with the Sheffield Village Police Department. His colleagues say he was known for his professionalism, compassion, and unwavering drive to serve.
Just two days before his d**th, Wagner achieved a proud milestone, earning his SWAT pin after a year of intense training.
“From the very beginning of his career, he was a respected and beloved member of our law enforcement family,” the department said in a statement. “He exemplified the very best of what it means to serve and protect.”
A Community Still Grieving
Now, weeks later, Lorain is still feeling the weight of his loss. Police Chief Michael Failing called Wagner’s d**th “the loss of a true hero”, urging the community to continue keeping his family in their thoughts.
Wagner leaves behind his wife and three young children. In the days following his d**th, funeral arrangements and plans for public remembrance were announced, as the community prepared to honor his memory.
Though time has passed, Wagner’s name remains etched into the community’s heart, not just as an officer, but as a Marine, a father, and a man who gave his life in service to others.