Black Man Charged in Officer’s Death Claims He Targeted White Cops
Black man accused of killing Philadelphia officer claims he targeted white officers, sparking controversy.
4 min read
A black man named Eric Lewis has been charged with murder and multiple counts of attempted murder after allegedly shooting and killing a Philadelphia police officer, Shane Seiber, and wounding another officer on Saturday. According to reports, Lewis targeted the officers because they were white, leading to a deadly confrontation.
The incident occurred in West Philadelphia when officers arrived at a home in response to a 911 call about a man with a gun. Lewis, who was across the street, allegedly approached the officers, became hostile, and began yelling and acting aggressively. As the officers moved to check for a firearm, Lewis shot them, according to a law enforcement source.
Minutes later, another pair of officers arrived to find Seiber and the other officer, an unnamed 33-year-old, unconscious and bleeding from their wounds. Seiber, who had 10 years of service, died hours later after being shot three times. He left behind his wife, a seven-year-old son, and a three-year-old daughter.
Lewis then allegedly engaged in a nearly hour-long standoff, continuing to shoot at officers from a dark alley behind the home. After his arrest, Lewis claimed the officers had gone to his porch and that he shot them because they were white. He also stated that if the responding officer had been black, he would have had a conversation instead of shooting.
RIP. Pennsylvania Police Officer Shane Seiber, who gave his life in the line of duty, is the 72nd officer lost in 2026. Police Officer Shane Seiber was murdered when he was shot and killed while responding to a disturbance call in West Philadelphia, near the 100 block of North 52nd Street at approximately 1:00 am. Shortly after midnight, officers were called and dispatched to a complaint of a person wielding a gun from a residential porch. Upon arriving at the home, the officers were ambushed when the suspect fired at the officers as they stepped onto the porch. Officer Seiber and a fellow officer were struck multiple times before the suspect fled down a nearby alley. The officers were transported to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where Officer Seiber succumbed to his wounds. The second Philadelphia police officer shot in the ambush has not yet been publicly identified. The 33-year-old officer, a father of five, was shot 12 times and underwent surgery at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. He was last reported to be in stable condition despite his serious injuries. The suspect was apprehended after a search and neighborhood lockdown; charges are pending. Officer Seiber had served with the Philadelphia Police Department for 10 years. Officer Shane Seiber, 40, is survived by his wife, a 7-year-old son, and a 3-year-old daughter. His wife and other family members were at his bedside before he passed away. 🖤🙏💙🙏🖤
While at the hospital, Lewis made comments to a black female police officer, saying that if the responding officers were black, he would not have shot them. A conservative commentator, Greg Price, shared a portion of the report, stating that Lewis made racist remarks to the white officers, claiming he makes more money than them.
🚨 BREAKING: I have obtained the official arrest report for Eric Lewis— the man accused of shooting and killing 40-year-old Philadelphia Police Officer Shane Seiber. According to the report, Lewis told the arresting officers that he shot and killed Officer Seiber, and wounded his partner, because they were white. "He stated if the cops were black he would not have shot him… He was making racist remarks to the white police officers saying he makes more money than them." Officer Seiber was an Air Force veteran and leaves behind a wife and two young kids.
Lewis has been charged with murder and 10 counts of attempted murder for his alleged offenses against the wounded officer and the nine officers who were shot while trying to detain him. He was also charged with disarming a law enforcement officer and carrying a firearm without a license. Lewis, who is being held without bail, previously worked with the city’s Water Department and had a 2012 conviction for carrying a firearm in public but had no felony convictions that would have prevented him from legally owning a gun.
The city’s police commissioner, Kevin Bethel, praised Seiber for his service and asked the community to keep him and his family in their prayers. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro ordered flags at half-mast in honor of Seiber, acknowledging the sacrifice of law enforcement officers.
Source: Daily Caller
