The man accused of killing a Philadelphia police officer and wounding another officer Saturday was previously prosecuted in a separate homicide case but was acquitted at trial, according to multiple law enforcement sources.
Court records and police documents obtained by the NBC10 Investigators reveal that Eric Lewis, 35, was arrested in 2020 in connection with the 2019 fatal shooting of 32-year-old Christopher Williams in West Philadelphia.
According to an affidavit of probable cause, Williams was driving near Fallon Street and Wyalusing Avenue on Aug. 31, 2019, when he encountered a Nissan SUV that was allegedly blocking the street. Investigators said an argument broke out between Williams and the occupants of the SUV before a man got out, pulled a handgun and opened fire.
Williams was struck multiple times and later died at a hospital, according to court documents. A passenger in the vehicle suffered graze wounds to the leg, the documents state.
A witness later identified Lewis from a photo lineup as the gunman, leading to his arrest in November 2020, court documents show.
Lewis spent years in custody awaiting trial. In 2023, a judge acquitted him following a two-day bench trial, according to Williams’ family and two sources with direct knowledge of the proceedings. The case was later expunged.
Because the case was expunged, it no longer appears in publicly available court records.
Lewis is now accused of fatally shooting Philadelphia Police Officer Shane Seiber and wounding a second officer during a confrontation Saturday morning.
The NBC10 Investigators met with Williams’ family, who said they have unanswered questions about why the homicide case ended in a not-guilty verdict.
Several sources familiar with the case said the acquittal stemmed from issues involving testimony and evidence.
Loved ones are mourning Shane Seiber, a Philadelphia police officer, who was shot and killed in the line of duty over the weekend. NBC10’s Lauren Mayk shares surveillance video and radio calls from the shooting as well as what we know about the suspect, Eric Lewis.
Three years after Lewis’s acquittal, the Philadelphia Police Department’s unsolved homicide website continued to list Williams’ killing as solved.
Lewis was also arrested in 2013 in connection with a shooting involving his brother, court records show. According to court documents, Lewis pulled out a gun and fired four or five shots at his brother.
Records show Lewis was convicted of several misdemeanors related to the 2013 shooting, including carrying a firearm in public. He was sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation, according to court records.
Lewis faces more than 70 charges connected to Saturday’s shooting. The Defender Association of Philadelphia, which is representing Lewis, does not comment on pending cases.
The NBC10 Investigators can be reached at david.charns@nbcuni.com and ali.ingersoll@nbcuni.com.