One drew the attention of the FBI for catching babies from a burning building. Here are the victims of a police ambush in Pennsylvania.Show Caption
When an out-of-control fire trapped a family in a third-floor apartment in York County, Pennsylvania, over 15 years ago, one local police officer rushed to the back of the building, got up onto a lower roof, and yelled for the woman and her children to jump.The mother, Diana Estremera, was terrified. She had with her a baby, a 6-year-old and a 4-year-old. But Northern York County Regional Police Officer Cody Becker told her to trust him. He would catch them.One by one, Estremera dropped her children nearly 10 feet out of a window, starting with her 3-month-old. Becker caught each child, handing them off to a waiting officer and bystander. Then Estremera lowered herself down and dropped into Becker's arms.Becker's actions in June 2010 were hailed as heroic, catching the attention of the FBI. He'd only worked with the department for just over a year at that point, but went on to serve many more years, receiving accolades and commendations in a career cut abruptly short this week.Becker was one of five law enforcement officers shot while attempting to arrest an alleged stalker. The suspect opened fire on them, killing Becker and two fellow officers in North Codorus Township on Sept. 17.“They were wonderful,” York County District Attorney Tim Barker said. “They were mission-driven. And that day, they continued their mission."Becker, now a detective sergeant; Detective Mark Baker; and Detective Isaiah Emenheiser were named as the victims of the Sept. 17 shooting. All were part of the Northern York County Regional Police Department. Another Northern Regional detective and a sheriff's deputy, who haven't been named, were seriously wounded in what Barker described as a "brutal ambush" and a "murderous rampage."The three officers were killed when they went to serve an arrest warrant on a man accused of stalking his ex-girlfriend at her home where she lived with her mother. The man opened fire on the officers from inside the women's farmhouse when they attempted to enter. Authorities identified the suspect as Matthew Ruth, 24. Ruth was killed by returning shots from officers. The women who lived there had left for their safety the night before and were unharmed.Had the women returned home and the officers not been there, "they would have been killed immediately by the actor," Barker said.The fallen officers were highly regarded members of the law enforcement community and had been praised for their police work and heroic actions. Here's what we know about the officers killed:Det. Sgt. Cody BeckerBecker was an athlete, a football player at Spring Grove Area High School, class of 2004. He was a veteran police officer who achieved the rank of sergeant, the recipient of numerous accolades and commendations.One of those commendations was for rescuing the family from the burning building in North York on June 8, 2010.Becker had faced danger before; in 2013, he faced off with a man walking toward him with a rifle and Becker fired at him multiple times. The fatal incident was considered suicide by cop.Det. Mark BakerNorthern York County Regional Police Detective Mark Baker was an officer at the department for more than 20 years and before that, an officer in Philadelphia, according to his LinkedIn page.In his role as an officer, Baker received multiple chief’s commendations, including one in 2011 for his role in flawlessly executing multiple critical tasks during a domestic shooting incident involving a man who allegedly shot and wounded his wife in their suburban townhouse neighborhood. Baker assisted in the arrest of the suspect, aiding the victim and ensuring community safety.In 2012, he and 13 fellow officers were recognized for resolving a volatile seven-hour standoff. That same year, Baker also served as an instructor at a computer training event in Budenheim, Germany, attended by over 120 active computer investigators representing 66 countries. At Northern Regional, he specialized in investigating computer crimes.York County defense attorney Dawn Cutaia, who had cases involving the detective, described Baker as “reasonable” and “open-minded,” someone who always wanted to do the right thing.Det. Isaiah EmenheiserDet. Isaiah Emenheiser joined Northern Regional shortly after graduating from York College in 2004. In 2011, he was recognized as the department's officer of the year and was later promoted to detective.While on the job in May 2015, Emenheiser dodged a bullet while responding to a call for a man with a weapon who had allegedly forced his way into a woman's home.Emenheiser entered the home, and when he went into the basement, "I turned and looked and saw a figure in a doorway aiming a gun in my direction. And then I heard a shot go off," he testified at a preliminary hearing. The bullet missed Emenheiser and punctured a hot water heater. Emenheiser returned fire and struck the man in the buttocks, according to testimony. Emenheiser and another officer tackled the man as he tried to flee on a stolen motorcycle."Detective Emenheiser is the finest example of an alumnus who lived by our college motto ‘Servire, Est , Vivere,’ (to serve is to live)," said York College Police Chief Ed Bruder.“Our hearts are broken at the loss of Detective Emenheiser, a proud member of the York College family whose dedication to justice and service reflected the very best of our graduates,” York College President Thomas Burns was quoted as saying in a news release. "We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues, and we stand with all those grieving this profound loss.”
