New Details On Prior Murder Case Involving Suspect In Officer’s Death

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner shared details on the 2019 murder case involving Eric Lewis. The case happened years prior to Lewis allegedly shooting two Philadelphia police officers and killing one, who grew up in the Levittown area.

Lewis, 35, was charged in connection with an August 2019 road-rage shooting in the Mill Creek section of the city. That shooting resulted in the death of 32-year-old Christopher Williams and injured another person.

Lewis was charged after a Philadelphia Police Department investigation and acquitted of the charges in 2023.

An officer involved in the investigation was romantically involved with Lewis’ sister and fabricated an anonymous tip about a nonexistent suspect named “Spice” to distract investigators from Lewis, according to Krasner.

The district attorneysaid the alleged actions were “beyond outrageous.”

“This is giving false information to law enforcement … it’s an obstruction of the administration of justice,” he said in a selfie-style video.

The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office stated that the presiding judge referred an officer and a detective to the Philadelphia Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division.

Krasner said one officer was fired from the department and another was disciplined.

In 2021, Lewis faced additional charges involving assault and gun offenses.

Prosecutors said that case collapsed after a key victim or witness died from natural causes.

Lewis allegedly shot Officer Shane Seiber, of Bensalem Township, and his 33-year-old partner early Saturday morning on North 52nd Street in West Philadelphia.

Officers were responding to a report of a man with a gun on a porch.

According to police, Lewis opened fire on additional responding officers, fled the scene, and was later apprehended.

Lewis’ partner was struck 12 times and remains hospitalized.

Philly Crime Update reported that following his arrest, Lewis made racially charged statements regarding white officers and asserted that he had a right to defend himself.

Philadelphia police said in a statement they will continue to review the prior investigation and prosecution.

“There will be a time to address the full record, but it is not now. Assigning blame while families are grieving does nothing to advance accountability or support those affected,” police said. “True leadership does not seek to assign fault in a moment like this. It stands with the families. And when the time comes, it holds itself to the same scrutiny it asks of others. We will have more to say.

Seiber, 40, died at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center in Philadelphia hours after the shooting.

Seiber was a married father of two young kids and lived in Bensalem Township.

Born in Trenton, Seiber grew up in Langhorne and Levittown. He attended Carl Sandburg Middle School and Neshaminy High School through the 10th grade.

The fallen officer was a U.S. Air Force veteran who served two tours in Iraq before joining the Philadelphia Police Department in 2016. He served in the 19th and 22nd Police Districts.

As of Wednesday morning, an online GoFundMe campaign for Seiber’s wife and kids had raised more than $98,000.

Lewis is being held in city custody on for last weekend’s shooting. He is facing numerous changes, including murder of a law enforcement officer, aggravated assault.

Public viewings for Seiber are scheduled for Monday, Oct. 19, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the John F. Givnish Life Celebration Home on Academy Road in Philadelphia, and Tuesday, Oct. 20, from 8:15 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia. A funeral mass will take place at noon Tuesday, with private interment services.

Gov. Josh Shapiro ordered state flags to fly at half-staff in honor of Seiber.