Philadelphia Officer Killed in Line of Duty Promoted Posthumously to Sergeant
Thousands of law enforcement officers from across the U.S. attended the funeral service for Officer Shane Seiber.
Philadelphia Police Officer Shane Seiber, who was killed in the line of duty on Oct. 10, was posthumously promoted to the rank of sergeant during his funeral service on Tuesday. Thousands of police officers from across the United States gathered at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul to pay their respects.
Seiber, a 10-year veteran of the Philadelphia Police Department, had previously served a decade in the Air Force, including two tours in Iraq. He and his partner, Officer Hector Rodriguez III, were responding to a report of a man with a gun in West Philadelphia when they were allegedly ambushed by a suspect. Prosecutors state that the suspect, Eric Lewis, approached the officers from behind, initiated an argument, and then opened fire, striking Seiber three times and Rodriguez 12 times.
Lewis was apprehended by SWAT officers after a standoff. Authorities reported that he was found with two handguns and a shotgun. Lewis, 35, had previously been acquitted in a murder case. Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner attributed the prior acquittal to a "deeply flawed" investigative work.
Officer Rodriguez, a 33-year-old father of five, survived his injuries. Seiber is survived by his wife, Lisa, and their two young children, Finn, 7, and Emily, 3.
During the eulogy, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker announced that the city would establish an annual internship program for public service in Seiber's honor. She described Seiber as "a giant of a man" and "clearly a gentleman of the first class."