ELYRIA, Ohio — One month after three Lorain police officers were ambushed, the community found a permanent way to honor their sacrifice.
Distilled Ink, an Elyria tattoo shop, hosted a flash event Saturday to raise money for the families of Officer Phillip Wagner, who was killed, and Officers Peter Gayle and Brent Payne, who were injured during an ambush in Lorain last month. Artists worked only for tips, with all proceeds donated.
“There’s so much negativity in the world,” said shop owner Josh Ison. “I’m just trying to do something in our community to bring everybody together.”
Customers lined up for tattoos, choosing designs meant to symbolize solidarity and remembrance. For Ison, it’s more than ink, especially considering all the officers he has met in his tattoo chair.
“I sit there with them for hours," he said. "I know about their kids. I know about their lives. We talk to each other like that and these are normal people.”
Jennifer Storm, whose father is an officer in Lorain County and whose husband is an officer in Cuyahoga County, says the event was about keeping the memory alive while helping those left behind.
“They were sitting there eating pizza. It wasn’t like it was a traffic stop gone bad or something. They were eating lunch,” Storm said of the ambush.
She added the fundraiser helps families facing unexpected hardships. “They are out of work. They lost an income. So helping them keep their lives normal… is the whole goal.”
The event also featured food trucks, raffles and music, drawing crowds who wanted to show their support.
Organizers said every tattoo, every dollar, and every story shared was a way to prove that, even in grief, the Lorain community stands together.
On Thursday, GMC anchor Tiffany Tarpley reported on how the Lorain community has united since the tragedy.
RELATED: Lorain community continues healing 1 month after police ambush that killed officer, injured 2
