Man charged with murder in shooting that killed Philadelphia officer and wounded another

Prosecutors have charged a 35-year-old man with murder after a Philadelphia police officer was shot to death and a second officer was gravely wounded early Saturday in West Philadelphia, according to several outlets.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Eric Lewis went before a Municipal Court judge early Sunday and, per court records, remains jailed at Curran-Fromhold without bail. According to FOX 29, the District Attorney's Office said he faces about 80 counts. Besides murder, they include a homicide charge tied to the victim's status as a police officer, plus 10 attempted murder counts and 10 attempted homicide counts. Prosecutors say those cover the wounded officer and nine others who were shot at but not hit.

Lewis has a lawyer from the Defender Association of Philadelphia, the Inquirer reported. The office's top defender declined to comment Sunday.

According to police, the two officers were sent to North 52nd Street, near the corner block, responding to a call about an armed man on a porch. The outlets gave different timelines. The Inquirer put the officers' arrival near 12:17 a.m., while 6abc said the dispatch came a little after 12:20 a.m. and the officers got there roughly half an hour later. Police said shots were fired as the pair neared the porch.

Seiber, 40, had served on the force for a decade. He was hit three times and later died at a hospital. FOX 29 and 6abc reported he is survived by his wife and two children, a son, 7, and a daughter, 3. "He fought valiantly, but he lost his life today," Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said, as reported by FOX 29.

The other officer, who is 33, has five children and has not been named by police, suffered 12 gunshot wounds. The Inquirer said he was listed as stable but serious at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center.

Police said the shooter grabbed a handgun belonging to one of the officers, then fled through an alley while firing at other police, none of whom were struck. Descriptions of the arrest differed. The Inquirer said officers found him up a tree and told him to give up; FOX 29 said he surrendered once SWAT teams were on scene; 6abc said he was caught after he fell from a tree. Two handguns and a shotgun were recovered.

"This is a brutal, senseless, horrific killing," District Attorney Larry Krasner said, according to 6abc.

Citing court records, 6abc reported Lewis had been arrested several times from 2013 to 2020 on weapons, drug and assault allegations. The outlet also said the municipal workers' union District Council 33 confirmed he was a member who worked for the Philadelphia Water Department, and the union pledged to cooperate with investigators.

Gov. Josh Shapiro directed that flags be lowered to half-staff to honor Seiber, 6abc reported.

Compiled by True News from reporting by The Philadelphia Inquirer, CBS Philadelphia, FOX 29 Philadelphia and 6abc Action News. Each outlet's original story is linked below.

Originally published by True News: https://truenews.bagleyenterprises.net/stories/34