RICHMOND, Ind. — A Richmond Police Officer remains in extremely critical condition after being shot during a traffic stop Wednesday.
Seara Burton, a four-year veteran of the Richmond Police Department, was flown to Miami Valley Hospital after being shot around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. She was described as being in “very critical condition,” the Pendleton Post of Indiana State Police confirmed. Burton, a 28-year-old K9 handler, remains in critical condition Thursday, a hospital spokesperson confirmed.
Police said Burton was shot by 47-year-old Phillip M. Lee, of Richmond.
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While officers were speaking with Lee Wednesday, he allegedly pulled out a firearm and shot several rounds toward officers, police said. Burton was struck by the gunfire.
Other officers on the scene returned fire and Lee fled on foot, according to police. After a brief foot chase, Lee was apprehended and treated for gunshot wounds by the officers. He was later transported by ambulance to Reid Hospital in Richmond.
A quick look at Lee’s criminal history showed over a dozen convictions dating back to 1994.
It was in 1994 when Lee was first convicted for burglary and got a six-year sentence. He was convicted for burglary three more times and once for attempted burglary in Wayne and Randolph counties.
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Lee also served sentences for numbers drug possession, escape and perjury charges over nearly three decades.
Lee was arrested in 2019 for allegedly fondling a juvenile under the age of 14. That case never went to a jury, according to CBS4Indy, a CBS affiliate.
Lee is in custody and the Wayne County Prosecutor will determine charges upon review of the case, police confirmed.
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