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A Philadelphia police officer has died after a shooting in West Philadelphia on Saturday morning.
Officer Shane Seiber, 40, was shot three times while responding to a call in West Philadelphia, according to the department. A 10-year veteran who served in the 19th district, Seiber died at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center.
Seiber leaves behind a wife and two children, a 7-year-old son and a 3-year-old daughter.
“He fought valiantly, but he lost his life today,” Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said at a news conference Saturday.
A 33-year-old officer was shot 12 times in the same incident and is in “stable” condition at the hospital, Bethel said, adding that they’re “not out of the woods yet.”
Mayor Cherelle Parker said that city officials will be communicating with Seiber’s family.
“I need you to know that your Philadelphia village is here. You are not alone. We will be by your side, in the midst of it all,” she said earlier Saturday.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner announced Saturday that the suspect, whom he identified as 35-year-old Eric Lewis, was charged with the homicide of a law enforcement officer in Seiber’s death. In addition, Lewis is charged with attempted homicide of a law enforcement officer, two counts of disarming a law enforcement officer and aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, among other charges.
Krasner said Lewis shot at nine other officers in addition to the two who were struck. Lewis is charged with nine counts of attempted murder, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and aggravated assault, the DA said.
Lewis will be held without bail, Krasner said, with a preliminary arraignment and bail hearing happening “in the near future.”
“This is a brutal, senseless, horrific killing and multiple shooting of another officer,” Krasner said.
According to state court records, Lewis has a criminal history dating back to 2012. In 2015, he pleaded guilty to weapons charges for an incident in 2013, including carrying a firearm in public. In addition to being sentenced to five years of probation, a judge ordered Lewis to receive a drug and alcohol assessment as well as a mental health evaluation.
A statement from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees District Council 33 identified Lewis as a member of the union employed by the Philadelphia Water Department.
