Philadelphia police officer killed, another injured responding to overnight call of an armed man, suspect in custody
By Danya Gainor, CNN
(CNN) — A Philadelphia police officer was killed and his partner wounded when they were shot multiple times responding to an early morning call in West Philadelphia on Saturday, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said. A suspect is in custody.
Officer Shane Seiber, 40, died at the hospital after being shot three times. A husband and father to two young children, Seiber served with the department for 10 years.
“He fought valiantly, but he lost his life today,” Bethel told reporters at a news conference. “Fortunately, his wife was able to be by his side before he passed, as well as his family.”
Seiber’s partner, who the commissioner identified as a 33-year-old father of five, was shot 12 times and underwent surgery. He was in stable condition Saturday, with Bethel adding he is “not out of the woods yet.”
Just after midnight Saturday, a report of a man with a gun on a porch brought the two officers to the 100 block of North 52nd Street in West Philadelphia, where stretches of brick row houses sit behind short staircases and small yards.
As the officers climbed the steps to a porch enclosed by an iron fence, the gunman opened fire. Police have not said where the suspect was positioned when he began shooting.
At some point during the incident, Bethel said, the gunman took a weapon from one of the wounded officers lying in the entryway.
The gunfire drew more officers to the block. The shooter fired at police as they responded to back up Seiber and his partner, Bethel said. SWAT was dispatched, and officers ultimately located the suspect in a tree.
Police recovered a shotgun and two handguns – including the weapon taken from one of the officers – from the suspect, and the man was taken into custody.
Eric Lewis, 35, is being charged with homicide for Seiber’s killing, the Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said Saturday afternoon, according to The Associated Press. Lewis is facing a host of other charges, including attempted homicide, for allegedly shooting the second officer and shooting at nine additional officers who responded to the scene, the AP reported Krasner said.
Officials took to social media to condemn the violence and offer support.
“We are keeping all those impacted in our thoughts today, and we’re hoping for a full and speedy recovery for the other officer,” Sen. John Fetterman wrote on X.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro ordered all US and state flags to fly at half-staff in Seiber’s memory.
“Our law enforcement officers are the very best of us,” he wrote.
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