Philadelphia Police Killer Faces Federal Gun, Robbery Charges

Eric Lewis, the man accused of ambushing two Philadelphia police officers and killing one, now faces federal charges. Lewis, 35, has been indicted on federal charges that include interstate commerce by robbery, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon, theft of a firearm that has moved in interstate commerce, and possession of a stolen firearm and stolen ammunition.

He is accused of fatally shooting Philadelphia Police Officer Shane Seiber and wounding his partner. Lewis faces a range of state charges, including murder, homicide of a law enforcement officer, attempted murder, 10 counts of attempted homicide of a law enforcement officer, aggravated assault, and terroristic threats.

U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, David Metcalf, stated that Lewis is prohibited from possessing a firearm under U.S. law due to being a convicted felon. "He is certainly not allowed to steal a firearm, and under federal law, he is certainly prohibited from using any firearm to rob, shoot, and kill a police officer, as a result of those actions," Metcalf said during a news conference.

If convicted on the federal charges, Lewis faces a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison with a minimum of 10 years.

Officer Shane Seiber, a 40-year-old father of two and an Air Force veteran, had served 10 years with the Philadelphia Police Department. He was posthumously promoted following the incident on Oct. 10, during which his partner survived the ambush.