A suspect was taken into custody after a neighborhood search that followed gunfire directed at two officers and responding police.
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — Philadelphia investigators were examining three recovered firearms Saturday as they worked to reconstruct a West Philadelphia shooting that killed Officer Shane Seiber, wounded another officer and led to the arrest of a suspect after an extended neighborhood search.
The investigation centers on what happened after officers responded shortly after midnight to a report of a man with a gun on a porch in the 100 block of North 52nd Street. Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said the two officers encountered significant gunfire after arriving at the property. Seiber, 40, was shot three times and later died at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. His 33-year-old partner was shot 12 times and remained hospitalized in stable condition.
Authorities said the suspected gunman left the immediate shooting scene and fired additional shots as more officers moved into the neighborhood. Two other officers were fired upon but were not wounded, according to police. The response expanded to include tactical officers as police established a perimeter and locked down surrounding blocks during the search.
The suspect was eventually located in a tree and taken into custody. Accounts from police indicated the arrest followed the arrival of additional officers and a SWAT team. Authorities had not publicly released the suspect’s identity or announced formal criminal charges as of Saturday afternoon.
Police recovered two handguns and a shotgun in connection with the incident. Bethel said one of the handguns belonged to one of the officers who had been shot. Authorities had not explained how the suspect obtained that handgun, whether it was fired during the confrontation or which of the recovered weapons accounted for the shots that struck the officers.
Those unanswered questions are part of a broader effort to establish the sequence of the shooting. Police said the initial call involved a man reported to have a gun on a porch. Officers were dispatched shortly after 12:20 a.m. and arrived roughly 30 minutes later. Investigators have not publicly detailed what happened between the officers’ arrival and the first shots.
The shooting triggered an extensive response around North 52nd Street and nearby blocks. Police established a staging area near 52nd and Race streets while officers searched for the gunman. The neighborhood was placed under temporary lockdown during the operation as officers worked to contain the area and determine the suspect’s location.
Seiber was a 10-year Philadelphia police veteran assigned to the 19th District. Bethel said he was married and was the father of a 7-year-old son and a 3-year-old daughter. His family was able to be with him before he died at the hospital. The second officer, whose name had not been released, is a father of five.
Mayor Cherelle Parker met with the officers’ families and joined police leaders as officials provided updates on the shooting. The focus later Saturday shifted from the emergency response to the criminal investigation, including examination of the recovered guns, the movements of the suspect and the circumstances surrounding the officer’s handgun.
The suspect remained in custody Saturday while police continued investigating the shooting. Authorities had not announced a motive, a final account of the confrontation or charges. The surviving officer remained hospitalized in stable condition as the department mourned Seiber and investigators continued gathering evidence.
Author note: Last updated October 10, 2026.