A Philadelphia man charged with killing a police officer and wounding another told authorities he shot them because they were white, according to a police report obtained by The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Eric Lewis, 35, is charged with murder in the death of Officer Shane Seiber, 40, a 10-year veteran of the Philadelphia Police Department. He also faces 10 counts of attempted murder and related offenses, for wounding Seiber's partner and allegedly firing at nine other officers who rushed to the scene.
The shooting happened around 12:50 a.m. Saturday, October 10, in West Philadelphia. Seiber and his partner were knocking on the door of a home when Lewis walked up behind them and demanded to know why they were on his porch, a law enforcement source told the Inquirer. A brief struggle followed, and as the officers moved to check whether he was armed, Lewis shot them, the source said.
Seiber was shot three times and died hours later at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. His partner, 33, who has nine years on the job, was shot 12 times and remains in the hospital.
Lewis then hid in the dark and fired at responding officers during a tense standoff. He was taken into custody after climbing a tree behind his home as SWAT officers aimed their weapons at him, the Inquirer reported.
According to the police report, Lewis said he had been across the street when he saw the officers on his porch and walked over to them. He said he shot them after the officers put their hands on him. He also said he shot the officers because they were white, the report said.
At the hospital, Lewis spoke to one officer, a Black woman, the report said.
"If it was you that responded we would have just had a conversation," Lewis told her, according to the document.
District Attorney Larry Krasner said Lewis, a city employee, will be held without bail.
The account in the police report has not yet been tested in court.
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