NOTE: Information in this story was gathered with the efforts of Courtney Spinelli and Lindsay Stone.
RICHMOND, Ind. — New information has been confirmed about the criminal background of the man in custody for allegedly shooting a Richmond police officer Wednesday night during a traffic stop.
Phillip Lee, 47, is accused of shooting 28-year-old police officer Seara Burton, who has been with the Richmond Police Department for four years.
Burton is in critical condition at a hospital in Dayton, Ohio, where colleagues say she is “fighting for her life.”
A search of Lee’s criminal history shows it dates back nearly three decades, starting with a six-year sentence in Wayne County for burglary in 1994.
Lee has served other sentences on felony convictions for other burglaries and drug possession charges, meaning he is a convicted felon and should not have had a weapon.
He also served time in Randolph County for burglary in 2004.
In 2019, Lee was arrested for fondling a child under 14, but that case never went to a jury trial.
At last check, Lee is in the hospital after officers returned fire when he pulled a gun and fired at police at North 12th Street and C Street in Richmond around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Officer Burton has a K-9 partner, and police say the dog reacted to a possible presence of drugs around Lee’s moped.
Burton was recently promoted to her K-9 officer position and is set to be married in a few weeks.
