DA Krasner responds to Philadelphia Police Commissioner Bethel after fatal sergeant shooting fallout

PHILADELPHIA - Federal charges have been brought against Eric Lewis, who is accused of fatally shooting Philadelphia police Sergeant Shane Seiber and injuring Officer Hector Rodriguez during an ambush on Oct. 10 in West Philadelphia. Authorities said Lewis now faces five federal counts after a joint effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and local law enforcement, and city officials have responded to heightened tensions over the events leading up to the shooting.

What we know:

Eric Lewis allegedly fired on 11 police officers, wounding two, and is accused of killing Sergeant Seiber on Oct. 10 on the 100 block of North 52nd Street, according to law enforcement. Officer Rodriguez sustained a dozen gunshot wounds and was rushed to the hospital. Investigators said Lewis used a ghost gun and a sawed-off shotgun, then stole Rodriguez’s service weapon after the shooting.

Federal authorities announced Thursday that Lewis faces charges including robbery, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, theft of a firearm, and possession of a stolen firearm and stolen ammunition.

U.S. Attorney David Metcalf said the charges could carry a maximum penalty of life in prison. "No one attacks law enforcement without facing the consequences," said Metcalf. "Our thoughts remain with Officer Seiber's loved ones and the Philadelphia Police Department. We also continue to pray for a swift and complete recovery for Officer Rodriguez. We can never right the terrible wrongs of October 10, but we can and will bring the person responsible to justice."

The Philadelphia District Attorney's Office also brought dozens of charges against Lewis, including homicide of a law enforcement officer and 10 counts of attempted murder.

Sergeant Seiber and Officer Rodriguez responded to a call for a person with a gun shortly after midnight on Oct. 10. 

Officers were "immediately met by an ambush of gunfire, allegedly fired by Lewis," according to police. Seiber died from three gunshot wounds. Rodriguez, shot 12 times, remains hospitalized. After shooting the officers, authorities said Lewis "stole Officer Rodriguez's service weapon," fired at other officers as he fled, and was eventually taken into custody when SWAT units arrived.

A funeral service with police honors was held in Philadelphia Tuesday for Sgt. Seiber, who was posthumously promoted. The incident led to federal charges being announced Thursday, following previous local charges.

Competing narratives and calls for accountability

A public dispute emerged between District Attorney Larry Krasner and Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel regarding the failures in the investigation of Lewis’ previous cases and the aftermath of the Oct. 10 shooting.

Krasner said his office was forced to respond because "misinformation has been provided, because Philadelphia deserves to know better," and said the families of police officers need "to know the truth." 

He called the prior police investigation into Lewis "deeply flawed," pointing to an officer’s relationship with the defendant’s sister and to false statements made during the investigation. Krasner maintained that his prosecutors "did everything that was humanly possible," and called out efforts to "bash" the reputation of his office. He said, "the truth is that that acquittal was the direct result of one of the worst investigations that I've seen in nearly 40 years of criminal practice."

"I had a conversation some years ago with the commissioner because there were persistent leaks that were happening, including leaks that bump up against certain laws about disclosure. And his response to me was, this place is a sieve. That's a quote," said Krasner during Friday's press conference. "When you have a detective who lies or at least puts false information onto an activity sheet, doesn't do the work, and then falsely tries to blame somebody else for having received it when it never was gotten in the first place. These are deep problems with credibility in the case. They are types of evidence that may be completely unrecoverable." 

Krasner also said, "This act of violence against members of the law enforcement community deserves our collective respect, coordination and communication. I will continue to make outreach to Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel and Mayor Cherelle Parker with hopes to work together in supporting our city and law enforcement colleagues through this difficult time, consistent with their One Philly agenda."

On Thursday, Commissioner Bethel, addressed the dispute at a news conference, described Krasner's actions as "unacceptable." Bethel said, "I will hold my department accountable when we are wrong, but everybody else should hold them damn selves accountable as well." Bethel confirmed he had terminated the officer cited by the District Attorney last year.

The Fraternal Order of Police Philadelphia Lodge 5 criticized Krasner’s public statements, calling them "shameful scapegoating" and "disgraceful" while stating that the primary focus should be supporting the Seiber and Rodriguez families and the police department. 

The FOP said Thursday, "Philadelphia deserves the truth, not political theater. Most importantly, Officer Shane Seiber, his family, and all those mourning his loss deserve far better."

Metcalf added during the federal charges announcement, "These charges represent another important step toward justice for Shane, Hector, and their families."

What we don't know:

Officials said they are continuing to review the circumstances around the police investigation and Internal Affairs referrals related to Lewis’ prior acquittal, and potential criminal charges may still be under consideration for those involved in the earlier investigation. 

Krasner stated, "We are going to be looking very, very closely at all the circumstances surrounding this case."

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