Philadelphia suspect arraigned on 76 charges after police ambush killing

Eric Lewis, 35, was arraigned Sunday on 76 criminal counts stemming from a Saturday night ambush that killed Philadelphia Police Officer Shane Seiber and wounded his partner. The charges include murder, homicide of a law-enforcement officer, attempted murder, ten counts of attempted homicide of a law-enforcement officer, aggravated assault and terroristic threats. Lewis remains in custody without bail, with his next court appearance set for Oct. 26.

The shooting occurred around 12:20 a.m. when the two officers responded to a report of an armed man on a porch. After approaching the location, they came under heavy gunfire. Both officers were hit; Seiber, a 40-year-old father of two and Air Force veteran, died at the scene, while his 33-year-old partner, a father of five, was shot 12 times and is now listed in stable condition.

Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said at a news conference, > "He fought valiantly, but he lost his life today. His wife was able to be by his side before he passed, as well as his family."

Law enforcement officials later secured the scene, deploying additional officers and a SWAT team. Lewis was found hiding in a tree and arrested with two handguns and a shotgun; one handgun belonged to the wounded officer. District Attorney Larry Krasner declined to comment on whether Lewis used the officer’s firearm and noted that Lewis’s prior record did not preclude him from obtaining guns.

Lewis, an employee of the Philadelphia Water Department, has a criminal history dating back to 2012, including convictions for theft, receiving stolen property, gun-related offenses and simple assault, as well as several traffic citations in 2024.