NORTH CODORUS TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Authorities have officially identified Matthew J. Ruth, 24, as the man responsible for one of the most devastating attacks on law enforcement in York County’s history. Ruth was killed by police Wednesday after opening fire on officers who had arrived at a rural property to serve an arrest warrant, leaving three officers dead and two others critically wounded.
York County District Attorney Tim Barker announced Ruth’s name at a press briefing Thursday but asked reporters to focus on the officers’ heroism rather than the gunman’s notoriety, referring to him simply as “the actor” after the initial identification.
The victims — Detective Sergeant Cody Becker, Detective Isaiah Emenheiser, and Detective Mark Baker — were all members of the Northern York County Regional Police Department. Baker, a veteran officer who began his career with the Philadelphia Police Department in 2001, joined NYCRPD in 2004 and served there until his death. Two other officers, including a sheriff’s deputy, remain hospitalized in critical condition.
Investigators say the confrontation unfolded around 2:10 p.m. Wednesday at a home along Haar Road in North Codorus Township. Officers from several agencies arrived to serve Ruth with a warrant stemming from stalking, loitering, and trespassing charges tied to incidents involving a former girlfriend. According to officials, Ruth began shooting almost immediately, striking five officers before being fatally shot when police returned fire. Medevac helicopters rushed the wounded to WellSpan York Hospital, which went into heightened security mode as victims were treated.
Court filings released after the shooting depict troubling behavior in the weeks before the attack. On September 16, a woman reported seeing a man in camouflage using binoculars to peer into her home. Trail cameras captured images of Ruth near the property, carrying an AR-15-style rifle and aiming a scoped device toward the residence. The woman’s daughter — who had briefly dated Ruth — also told police she believed he had set her car ablaze in August but had not pressed charges at the time. Officers searched the woods near the home that night but were unable to find him. A warrant was issued the next day.
The tragedy has been compounded by a wave of online misinformation. Photos of an unrelated man from Hanover, Pennsylvania — also named Matt Ruth — were widely shared across social media, falsely linking him to the attack. Despite the man’s public statements clarifying he was alive and uninvolved, images continued to circulate, amplified by large platforms and news pages. Authorities have urged the public to rely on verified updates from law enforcement and credible news outlets.
The deaths of Becker, Emenheiser, and Baker have shaken communities across York County and beyond. Vigils and memorial events are being organized, while flags across Pennsylvania have been lowered in their honor. “We ask our community to keep these officers, their families, and their colleagues in your thoughts and prayers during this time of unimaginable grief,” the Northern York County Regional Police Department said in a statement.
State police and the York County District Attorney’s Office continue to investigate, reviewing surveillance footage, social-media activity, and Ruth’s recent movements to determine how an escalating domestic violence case turned into a deadly ambush. For now, the focus remains on mourning three dedicated public servants and supporting those still recovering from their injuries.