A 35-year-old man has been charged in the shooting of two Philadelphia police officers, one of whom was killed, in an incident that occurred over the weekend. He was arraigned on Sunday, facing a staggering 76 charges, including murder, attempted murder, and aggravated assault, and is being held without bail, as reported by court documents.
The suspect, identified as Eric Lewis, is also facing multiple counts related to attempted homicide against law enforcement. His next court appearance is set for October 26.
Pennsylvania state Representative Amen Brown, who resides near the location of the shooting, mentioned to a local news outlet that during his arrest, Lewis expressed a desire to have killed more officers.
The tragic events unfolded early Saturday morning when officers responded to reports of an individual armed with a gun on North 52nd Street in West Philadelphia. Officers quickly located the suspect but were met with immediate heavy gunfire, which left one officer dead and another, a father of five, critically injured.
Officer Shane Seiber, the deceased, was a 40-year-old father of two and an Air Force veteran with ten years of service in the Philadelphia Police Department. His family has been left to grieve, including his wife and young children. Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel shared his condolences, stating, “He fought valiantly, but he lost his life today,” and noted that Seiber’s family was able to be with him before his passing.
The injured officer, who is 33 years old, has been treated for being shot 12 times but has since stabilized from his critical condition.
After officers arrived at the scene to confront an armed individual, they encountered significant gunfire. The situation escalated, prompting a response from additional officers and a SWAT team. Both officers were found on the porch where they had been shot.
The gunfire continued before the situation was deemed a barricade situation, resulting in Lewis being arrested. Reports indicated that he was found with two handguns and a shotgun; one of the handguns belonged to the injured officer.
D.A. Larry Krasner did not confirm whether Lewis fired the officer’s handgun or how he obtained the other firearms, but mentioned that there was nothing in Lewis’ prior criminal history that would have barred him from owning firearms.
Lewis, who is employed by the Philadelphia Water Department, has a criminal record that includes theft and gun-related offenses dating back to 2012, according to legal records. He had previously been placed on probation for these charges.
