Suspect in deadly Philadelphia police ambush faces 76 charges, ordered held without bail
Suspect Held Without Bail After Philadelphia Officer’s Ambush Killing
An arraignment held Sunday morning in Philadelphia saw 35‑year‑old Eric Lewis charged with 76 criminal counts, including murder and the homicide of a law‑enforcement officer, for an ambush that killed Officer Shane Seiber and wounded his partner. Lewis was ordered held without bail and is scheduled to appear before a judge on October 26.
The shooting occurred at approximately 12:20 a.m. Saturday, when two police officers responded to a report of a man with a gun on a suburban porch. Officers found Eric Lewis armed and engaged in a gunfight, according to the Philadelphia Police Department. Both officers were hit by gunfire. Seiber, a 40‑year‑old father of two who had served ten years with the department and was also an Air Force veteran, was killed on the scene. His partner, a 33‑year‑old father of five, was shot twelve times, initially listed as critical and now in stable condition. The wounded officer’s wife was with him during the crisis, and his family was present at a news conference the following day.
Police said the incident escalated as the officers approached the porch, prompting additional gunfire. A SWAT team and other officers arrived shortly afterward and found both officers wounded. The situation was declared a barricade, and Lewis was eventually taken into custody while hiding in a tree, according to the department.
At the arraignment, the judge cited 76 charges against Lewis, including murder, homicide of a law‑enforcement officer, attempted murder, ten counts of attempted homicide of a law‑enforcement officer, aggravated assault, terroristic threats, and other related offenses. District Attorney Larry Krasner declined to comment on whether Lewis had fired the officer’s handgun or how he acquired the other firearms. He noted that Lewis’s criminal background did not include any prohibition that would have prevented him from obtaining the weapons.
Lewis, who works for the Philadelphia Water Department, has a documented criminal history dating back to 2012. In that year, he was convicted of theft and receiving stolen property and was sentenced to probation. He was also found guilty of gun‑related offenses and simple assault in 2013, again receiving probation. In 2018, he pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct involving fighting, receiving a further probationary sentence. Court records show that Lewis received three traffic citations in 2024 for driving without headlights, failing to provide proof of insurance, and a windshield‑related violation.
The Philadelphia Police Commissioner, Kevin Bethel, said at a news conference on Saturday, “He fought valiantly, but he lost his life today.” He added that Seiber’s wife was with him before he passed and that his family was by his side.
Police recovered two handguns and a shotgun from Lewis. One of the handguns had belonged to the wounded officer. The suspect was placed in custody and is being held without bail pending further court proceedings.
