The following story is being republished from the Penn Capital Starr under a Creative Commons Licensing Agreement
Wednesday is believed to be the deadliest day in the Commonwealth’s law enforcement history, according to the Pennsylvania Capital- Star.
Three law enforcement officers were shot and killed in North Codorus Township, York County, on Wednesday during an investigation into a “domestic-related” incident that happened the previous day, state police said, according to of the publication.
Two others were wounded and were in critical, but stable, condition Wednesday night. The suspect was killed by police, according to State Police Commissioner Col. Christopher Paris.
As of 6:15 p.m. Wednesday evening, there was no active threat to the public, Paris said at a press conference.
“Our hearts and prayers go out to them, to the families of the deceased and the families of those officers who were wounded,” Paris said.
“There are simply no words that I can offer to assuage the grief that this community has experienced, and unfortunately will continue to experience.”
The injured officers are being treated at WellSpan York Hospital. Paris did not share which law enforcement agencies the officers who were shot worked for, and noted that many details would not be made public until the investigation progresses.
It’s the second time a York County officer has been killed in the line of duty this year. In February, West York Patrolman Andrew Duarte was killed during a hostage situation at UPMC Memorial Hospital in York.
Gov. Josh Shapiro, who made a speech against political violence last night in Pittsburgh at the Eradicate Hate Global Summit, travelled to York County Wednesday.
“This kind of violence isn’t ok,” he said at a press conference. “We need to do better as a society. We need to help the people who think that picking up a gun, picking up a weapon, is the answer to resolving disputes. We need to do better when it comes to mental health.”
It was the deadliest single day for law enforcement in the commonwealth recorded by the Pennsylvania Fraternal Order of Police since they began keeping track on their fallen heroes page, which dates back to 2012. On April 4 2009, three officers were killed in a shooting in the Stanton Hill neighborhood in Pittsburgh after responding to a domestic call. Two others were wounded.
The name of the suspect in Wednesday’s shooting was not released, but the incident took place near a home on Haar Road.
Phoebe Luckenbaugh, who lives several houses away from where the shooting happened, said the property with a farmhouse and a red barn close to the road was home to a young family.
Craig Zumbrum, who is listed in property records as the owner with his wife, Elizabeth, died in 2023. His widow and four children, including two teenagers, still live in the home and were often seen in the yard, Luckenbaugh said.
“They’re a nice normal country family,” she said, adding that she has no first-hand knowledge of what happened at the farm Wednesday. Since Craig Zumbrum’s death, a relative has raised crops on the farm for the family, Luckenbaugh said.
State Police are asking the public to avoid the scene.
Paris said that state police will lead the investigation, in collaboration with York County District Attorney Tim Barker. He added that state police have been in touch with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s office in Philadelphia.
“I can assure you that all of the resources of the Pennsylvania state police are being brought to bear,” Paris said. He added that, for the time, state police will be taking over calls for service for the Northern York County Regional Police Department.
Shapiro said he was contacted by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, who he said “shared with me we have the full support of the federal government.”
“We so appreciate law enforcement at every level, and we of course appreciate our federal partners,” Shapiro added.
Bondi said in a post on the social media platform X that the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms were on the scene.
“Violence against law enforcement is a scourge on our society and never acceptable,” she wrote. “Pray for the officers involved.”
In a statement released Wednesday night, state police said they would provide an update on the investigation Thursday.
“The investigation spans multiple locations throughout York County,” it said. “It is expected the investigation will continue into the night and early morning hours.”
Attorney General Dave Sunday, who previously served as the York County District Attorney, said on social media that he was traveling to the county after hearing about the incident.
“Learning that three officers were killed in York County where I worked for many years as a prosecutor, and where I still call home, is unfathomable,” he said in a statement. “Having served alongside these officers, I know of their caliber, their professionalism and the lasting impact they had on our community. This loss is a heart-wrenching reminder of the sacrifices police officers and other first responders make every single day.”
Shapiro has ordered flags in the commonwealth to be flown at half-staff until the officers are interred. No date has been set yet.
The Pennsylvania Capital-Star’s Peter Hall contributed to this story.
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