Lorain Police Officer Phillip Wagner, 35, was laid to rest Wednesday during a memorial service at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, one week after he was fatally shot in an ambush attack while eating lunch with a fellow officer. Thousands of police officers, family members and community members attended the funeral to honor Wagner, who died in the line of duty on July 24.
The deadly incident occurred on July 23 around 1:05 p.m. when Wagner and Officer Peter Gale, 51, were eating pizza during their lunch break in a parked patrol car on River Bend Drive near the Colorado Avenue Industrial Park in Lorain. Michael Parker, 28, of Lorain, opened fire on the officers with a high-powered rifle while they remained in their vehicle.
Acting Lorain Police Chief Michael Failing indicated that Parker was lying in wait with a full arsenal of weapons and explosive materials. When Officer Brent Payne, 47, responded to the scene to assist his colleagues, Parker also shot him multiple times while he was inside his patrol car. Officers returned fire, killing Parker at the scene.
All three officers were transported to nearby hospitals following the attack. Wagner was taken to MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland in critical condition, where he died Thursday from his injuries. Payne was also in critical condition but was released from MetroHealth on Saturday. Gale sustained a broken hand during the shooting.
When authorities searched Parker’s vehicle, they discovered 100 pounds of explosives and multiple weapons. The Elyria Police Department and Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation are conducting the investigation into the incident, with the motive remaining unclear.
Wednesday’s funeral procession began at 7:30 a.m. at Liston Funeral Home in North Ridgeville and traveled through multiple communities before arriving at Rocket Arena in downtown Cleveland. The route included eastbound travel on Center Ridge Road, south on Lear Nagle Road, east on Lorain Road, and eastbound on Interstate 480.
The memorial service at Rocket Arena began at 11 a.m., with doors opening to the public at 10 a.m. Floor seating was reserved for Wagner’s family members and law enforcement personnel, while stadium seating was made available for community members. Pastor Josh Smith officiated the services, which were broadcast live on multiple television stations and streamed online.
Failing noted that Wagner’s life and service to the city would never be forgotten. “On behalf of the Wagner family, we extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who has reached out in support,” Failing stated during a press conference.
Wagner, born in Arizona, was a combat veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps who served two tours, including one deployment to Afghanistan. He had been in law enforcement for eight years, serving four years with the Lorain Police Department after previously working four years with the Sheffield Village Police Department. He graduated from the police academy in 2018.
The fallen officer was married for 10 years and had three children. His obituary described him as an avid gamer who enjoyed watching baseball and hockey and loved relaxing with family and friends at barbecues. Neighbors remembered him as a quiet, hardworking family man who could often be seen playing with his children in the front yard.
Following the memorial service, a private burial was held at York Chapel in Bellevue, Ohio. The procession traveled west on Interstate 90, continuing onto the Ohio Turnpike westbound to exit 110, then following State Route 4 North and several local roads to reach the final destination. Wagner received full military honors during the burial.
Governor Mike DeWine ordered American and Ohio state flags to be flown at half-staff at all public buildings and grounds in Lorain County and at state buildings in Columbus from July 25 through the day of Wagner’s funeral. The order recognized Wagner’s life and service to his community.
The Wagner family requested that instead of flowers, memorial contributions be made to the Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio. Community members also established monetary donations through the Lorain Police Officers’ Charitable Foundation and created a memorial outside Lorain City Hall at 200 West Erie Avenue, where a police cruiser was parked with a blue wreath in Wagner’s honor.
Throughout Northeast Ohio, residents showed their support by lighting up their homes with blue lights following the shooting. The community response demonstrated widespread support for the Lorain Police Department and Wagner’s family during this difficult time.
