Philadelphia Police Ambush Suspect Hit With 76 Charges, No Bail

WHO:

Fox News - Eric Lewis has a criminal history dating back to 2012, including convictions for theft and receiving stolen property, gun-related offenses, and simple assault.

Fox News - Eric Lewis, a 35-year-old employee of the Philadelphia Water Department, is the suspect in the ambush.

Fox News - Officer Shane Seiber, a 40-year-old father of two and Air Force veteran, was killed in the ambush.

Fox News - The wounded officer is a 33-year-old father of five.

WHAT:

Fox News - Lewis received probation for his convictions in 2012 and 2013, and in 2018, he pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct involving fighting, also receiving probation.

Fox News - Lewis received three traffic citations in 2024, including driving without headlights, failing to provide proof of insurance, and a windshield-related violation.

Fox News - Eric Lewis faces 76 charges, including murder, homicide of a law enforcement officer, attempted murder, and 10 counts of attempted homicide of a law enforcement officer.

Fox News - Lewis was ordered held without bail following his arraignment on more than 70 charges.

Fox News - The shooting resulted in the death of Officer Shane Seiber and left his partner hospitalized with multiple gunshot wounds.

Fox News - The wounded officer was shot 12 times and was initially listed in critical condition but has since been listed in stable condition.

WHERE:

Fox News - The ambush occurred in West Philadelphia.

WHEN:

Fox News - Eric Lewis was arraigned on a Sunday morning.

Fox News - Lewis's next court date is scheduled for Oct. 26.

WHY:

Fox News - District Attorney Larry Krasner stated there was nothing in Lewis' criminal background that would have prevented him from obtaining a firearm.

Fox News - The charges against Lewis stem from a shooting incident involving police officers responding to a report of a man with a gun.

HOW:

Fox News - Lewis was found in possession of two handguns and a shotgun, one of which belonged to an officer wounded in the attack.

Fox News - Lewis was found in possession of two handguns and a shotgun, one of which belonged to an officer wounded in the attack.

Fox News - The shooting unfolded when the officers came under "significant gunfire" after locating an armed man on a porch.

(UPDATED October 12, 2026 23:01 UTC)

Eric Lewis has a criminal history that includes convictions for theft, gun-related offenses, and simple assault, dating back to 2012. He received probation for several of these convictions and was found in possession of two handguns and a shotgun, one of which belonged to an officer wounded in an attack. District Attorney Larry Krasner noted that there was nothing in Lewis' background that would have prevented him from obtaining a firearm, despite his history of legal issues.

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(UPDATED October 12, 2026 14:14 UTC)

In a tragic incident in West Philadelphia, Officer Shane Seiber, a 40-year-old father of two and Air Force veteran, was killed in an ambush, while his partner, a 33-year-old father of five, was shot twelve times and is now in stable condition after initially being listed as critical. The suspect, Eric Lewis, a 35-year-old employee of the Philadelphia Water Department, faces a staggering seventy-six charges, including murder and attempted homicide of a law enforcement officer, and was ordered held without bail following his arraignment. Lewis, who was found with two handguns and a shotgun—one belonging to a wounded officer—will appear in court again on October 26.