Chief: Richmond police officer transferred from hospital to hospice facility in Richmond

RICHMOND — The Richmond Police Department has provided an update on the condition of an officer who was shot during a traffic stop in August.

In a release, Richmond Police Chief Michael Britt said as of 4:37 p.m., Officer Seara Burton has been transferred from the Intensive Care Unit at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton to a hospice facility in the Richmond, Indiana area.

“She will continue receiving excellent care and be surrounded by family,” Britt said. “The family is grateful for all of the community support but does request privacy at the time. Please be respectful of the family’s wishes while they spend this precious time with Seara.”

Officer Burton had been in the hospital for more than three weeks since police said a suspect shot her in the head during a traffic.

Burton, a K-9 officer and four-year veteran of the force, was responding to a call from other officers to assist with a traffic stop in the area of North 12th Street and C Street.

As Burton and her dog approached, police said the man they pulled over, Phillip Lee, pulled out a handgun and opened fire.

Medics treated Burton on scene, then flew her to Miami Valley Hospital where she has remained in critical condition.

Doctors took Burton off of life support on Thursday Sept. 1, after declaring her injuries were “unrecoverable”.

Britt said she continues to show everyone how tough she is, breathing on her own and still with us.

1 of 13