A Philadelphia police officer has died after being shot while responding to a call in West Philadelphia, leaving behind a wife and two young children. His partner was also seriously wounded in the attack, which authorities have described as a deliberate ambush.
Officer Shane Seiber, 40, was responding to reports of an armed man on a porch shortly after midnight Saturday when the situation turned deadly.
He was struck by three bullets and later died at a hospital, where his wife and family were by his side.
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel addressed the shooting during a news conference later that day, remembering Seiber as an officer who fought to survive despite the severity of his injuries.
“He fought valiantly, but he lost his life today,” Bethel said.
The commissioner also condemned the circumstances surrounding the attack, describing it as “a brutal, senseless, horrific killing.”
Seiber’s death has left two young children without their father. According to police, he is survived by his wife, a 3-year-old daughter and a 7-year-old son.
The loss has also deeply affected the department, as officers and colleagues face the aftermath of a shooting that unfolded while they were carrying out their duties.
Shane Seiber was shot in West Philadelphia
Seiber’s partner, whose name has not been publicly identified, was also shot during the incident. The officer, who is a father of five, was struck by 12 bullets and remains in the hospital. Authorities said he was in stable condition as of Saturday, although his recovery remains uncertain.
“He’s not out of the woods yet,” Bethel warned, according to New York Post.
According to police, the two officers had entered an address in West Philadelphia when they were attacked in what investigators characterized as an ambush.
The violence did not end with the initial shooting. After opening fire on the officers, the suspected gunman fled through an alley. When additional police arrived at the scene, he allegedly fired at nine more responding officers. Fortunately, none were struck, District Attorney Larry Krasner said during Saturday’s news conference.
Authorities later arrested the suspect, identified as 35-year-old Eric Lewis, after he was found hiding in a tree several hours after the shooting.
Lewis now faces approximately 80 charges in connection with the incident, including murder and 10 counts of attempted murder, Krasner said.
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