Philadelphia Officer Shot 12 Times in Ambush Leaves Hospital...

Philadelphia police Officer Hector Rodriguez, who was shot 12 times in an ambush that killed his partner, has been released from the hospital two weeks after the attack.

Rodriguez, 33, and Officer Shane Seiber, 40, were responding shortly after midnight on October 10 to a report of an armed man sitting on a porch in West Philadelphia.

Police said 35-year-old Eric Lewis opened fire moments after the officers stepped onto the porch.

Seiber was hit three times and later died. Rodriguez sustained 12 gunshot wounds but survived after being rushed to the hospital.

Lewis fled the scene but was captured following a three-and-a-half-hour manhunt. The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office filed more than 80 charges against him, and federal prosecutors added further charges last week.

Rodriguez left Penn Presbyterian Medical Center on Saturday morning, four days after attending his partner’s funeral.

A large gathering of hospital workers, police officers and community members waited outside, applauding and cheering as Rodriguez was wheeled from the hospital on a stretcher. He was returning home to his wife and five children.

Police sources told CBS News that Rodriguez had been “up and walking” during the week before his discharge. He and his wife attended Seiber’s funeral on Tuesday after Rodriguez insisted on paying his respects.

Philadelphia Police Officer Hector Rodriguez, 33, survived after being shot 12 times while responding to a call on October 10. He was released from the hospital on Saturday

Rodriguez’s partner, Shane Seiber, 40, was struck three times in the same shooting and died. His funeral was held four days before Rodriguez left the hospital

Supporters applauded and cheered as Rodriguez was released from the hospital

First Deputy Commissioner John M. Stanford Jr. said at a news conference that Rodriguez was beginning “the next phase of his recovery,” although officials did not provide further details about his condition.

Stanford said: “Two weeks ago, we stood here with tears of sadness as we honored Officer Shane Seiber leaving the hospital and being prepared to be laid to rest.

“And two weeks later, we’re here today with tears of joy as we are seeing Officer Hector Rodriguez being released from Penn. It’s a roller coaster ride. It’s heavy, but today is a moment of joy.”

Seiber died at the hospital shortly after the shooting, surrounded by members of his family. He is survived by his wife and two children: a seven-year-old son and a three-year-old daughter.

“He fought valiantly, but he lost his life today,” Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said at a news conference hours after the attack. “This is a brutal, senseless, horrific killing.”

After firing a barrage of bullets, Lewis ran down an alley and shot at nine additional responding officers, none of whom was struck, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said at a separate news conference.

His flight triggered a major police search. SWAT teams were sent into the area, and the surrounding neighborhood was placed under lockdown. Lewis was found hiding in a tree at about 3:30 a.m.

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Officers arrested Lewis and recovered a shotgun and two handguns. Police said one of the handguns belonged to Rodriguez and had been taken after the shooting.

Police allege that Eric Lewis, 35, shot Rodriguez and Seiber in an ambush. He faces more than 80 state charges and five federal charges

Officers are shown at the porch where Lewis allegedly shot the two officers. Police said he also fired at nine other officers while fleeing, but none was hit

The search for Lewis lasted more than three hours, with SWAT teams deployed and the neighborhood locked down. He was eventually discovered hiding in a tree

Lewis faces charges including homicide of a law enforcement officer and murder in connection with Seiber’s death, as well as 10 counts of attempted homicide of a law enforcement officer, attempted murder and other related offenses.

On Thursday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced five federal firearm charges against the alleged cop-killer.

The federal allegations include interfering with interstate commerce by robbery, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, possession of a firearm by a felon, theft of a firearm that had moved in interstate commerce and possession of a stolen firearm.

Federal prosecutors said Lewis used a privately manufactured 9mm “ghost gun.” They also said he was barred from possessing firearms because of an earlier felony conviction carrying a potential prison sentence of more than one year.

Court documents show that Lewis has a criminal record dating back to 2012. In 2015, he pleaded guilty to weapons offenses related to a 2013 incident, including carrying a firearm in public.

Lewis worked as a city employee for the Philadelphia Water Department. The union that represents him confirmed his employment to NBC10 Philadelphia.

The union said it was “deeply shaken” by the shooting and would cooperate fully with investigators.

In a statement released shortly after the shooting, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said: “Our law enforcement officers are the very best of us.

Seiber is survived by his wife, seven-year-old son and three-year-old daughter. His family is pictured

“They put their lives on the line every day, running toward danger to keep their fellow Pennsylvanians safe, not knowing whether they will return home.”

“We owe them our deepest gratitude,” the governor added, saying he had ordered the U.S. and Pennsylvania flags to be flown at half-staff in Seiber’s honor.

Online fundraisers have been launched to help support the families of Seiber and Rodriguez.

As of early Monday morning, the fundraiser for Seiber had raised more than $210,000, while Rodriguez’s fundraiser had collected over $61,000.