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Three police officers were shot dead and two were wounded on Wednesday in southern Pennsylvania in the United States before the attacker was shot down, authorities said. The armed man dressed in camouflage lurked in nearby cornfields and fired upon the officers when they approached the farmhouse to serve a warrant on Wednesday afternoon.

According to CNN, the shooter began opening fire, striking and killing three officers before moving towards the house in York County, law enforcement officials said. Two more officers were struck, while one was able to return fire, killing the shooter, the officials said.

Witness Dave Miller told WGAL that at least "30 shots were fired". Miller recalled that he was heading home when he noticed police searching a barn. Moments later, he heard gunshots ring out and saw several people lying on the ground.

“My heart was pounding, my heart was pounding,” Miller told CNN. “And then I looked at all the tall corn next to me and thought, well, if they didn’t get him, he’s on the run and he could come through the cornfield.”

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Why were the officers trying to serve a warrant?

Law enforcement sources told CNN that deputies from the Sheriff’s Office and officers with the Northern York County Regional Police were serving a warrant on the suspect — the ex-boyfriend of a woman who lived in the farmhouse.

Police said the woman reported spotting her former partner stalking the property on Tuesday, which led investigators to secure both an arrest warrant and a restraining order. The shooter was reportedly the ex-boyfriend of a woman who lived in the farmhouse on the 1800 block of Haar Road.

The ex-girlfriend had alerted the police about the shooter on September 16, saying that he was in a nearby cornfield stalking the residence. Northern York Police then got a search warrant and restraining order for him, but were unable to serve him on Tuesday night.

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In a follow-up attempt at the farmhouse residence, the "camouflage-wearing shooter" opened fire from the cornfield and struck three Northern York officers. Police attempted to serve the shooter with an order Tuesday night, but could not locate him.

The shooter then moved toward the house and "engaged three York County sheriffs", two of which were shot. The third sheriff was able to return fire and ultimately kill the shooter, according to officials in communication with CNN. It remains unclear to investigators whether the shooter was waiting for his ex-girlfriend or the arresting officers.

A procession was held for the fallen officers from the York County Coroner's Office through Mount Zion Road where local law enforcement gathered to pay their final respects. Two sheriff's remain hospitalized in critical condition. Pennsylvania State Police will continue to investigate the tragic shooting.

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Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said he and other officials met Wednesday with the families of the slain officers.

“This is an absolutely tragic and devastating day,” he told reporters. “We need to do better as a society,” Shapiro said. We need to help the people who think that picking up a gun, picking up a weapon is the answer to resolving disputes.”

One of the deadliest shootings?

The shooting marks one of the deadliest days for Pennsylvania police this century. In 2009 three Pittsburgh officers responding to a domestic disturbance were ambushed and shot to death by a man in a bulletproof vest.

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Police departments across the region expressed condolences on social media. Four of the officers were members of the Northern York Regional Police Department, while the fifth was a York County sheriff's deputy, NBC10 Philadelphia reported. Hours after the shooting, community members held American flags to salute a procession of emergency vehicles to the coroner’s office.

Well-wishers left also flowers at the headquarters of the Northern York Regional Police Department. The ongoing investigation into the shooting will cover multiple locations in York County, state police said in a statement.