Police chief: Indiana officer removed from life support shows her strength

RICHMOND, Ind. — Strong. Fighter. Warrior.

That's how Officer Seara Burton has been described as she's struggled to survive being shot in the head Aug. 10. Chief Mike Britt again Friday used strong to describe Burton, who has defied expectations and survived more than 24 hours after being taken off life support Thursday at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio.

Britt released a statement Friday saying that Burton's condition "did not change much overnight."

"Seara continues to remind us just how strong she is," Britt wrote.

The department on Wednesday released a statement saying doctors had decided Burton would not recover from her injuries. It said Burton would be taken off life support Thursday and her organs donated to benefit others.

Being an organ donor exemplifies other ways the four-year Richmond Police Department officer has been described. Kind. Caring. Nice.

Richmond officer honored as hero

Tributes for Burton continued Thursday afternoon outside the Richmond Municipal Building. After she was removed from life support, the vehicle Burton shared with her K-9 partner, Brev, was moved onto a sidewalk on the building's east side along North Fifth Street. It's windows featured decals honoring Burton as a hero, and residents had already begun placing flowers and candles in front of the vehicle.

Many had read or heard misinformed reports that Burton had died. Britt, and later Mayor Dave Snow, released statements Thursday clarifying that Burton continued her fight. Snow's statement said Burton's family was spending additional "precious time" with her.

Retired RPD officer James Mastriano carried a police-tribute flag and a Northeastern Lady Knights basketball shirt as he approached Burton's vehicle. He received some help putting the black, white and blue flag on the hood, then he folded the shirt and placed it among the flowers.

One of the women assisting Mastriano with the flag said she knew Burton from the city's Just Us Kids Outdoors summer program. Although not wanting to give her name, she said Burton was a "nice lady" and "did everything she could for everybody."

Mastriano retired from RPD before Burton was hired in August 2018; however, he coached Northeastern middle school girls basketball with Burton, a 2012 Northeastern graduate and former Knights basketball player.

"The girls that she helped coach really looked up to her," Mastriano said. "They would ask what her job is like, and she would stop and answer them."

He often saw just how physically strong Burton is, too. Mastriano smiled while recalling his afternoon workouts while Burton was also lifting weights. She would tease him about lifting more than him, he said.

"Whether you're a retired police officer or an active police officer, it hits home when something like this happens," Mastriano said.

Gretchen Smith and Tony Spires also stopped Thursday afternoon at Burton's vehicle and the prayer board that had been moved to the city building's east side from outside the police department entrance. Smith said they both "back the blue."

Neither knew Burton, but Smith shares a Northeastern connection and Spires, an Air Force veteran, has a brother who's a Dayton, Ohio, police sergeant.

"It's one of those things where you physically don't have to know somebody to feel for them and the family, especially the way it happened," Smith said. "It was out of her control."

Seara Burton shot during traffic stop

Phillip Matthew Lee, 47, is charged with shooting Burton during a traffic stop on North 12th Street related to a narcotics investigation. According to an affidavit of probable cause, Burton had returned Brev to their vehicle after the K-9 indicated the presence of a narcotics odor in Lee's moped. She was walking back toward Lee and another officer when Lee pulled out a gun and began firing.

The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office has charged Lee with three Level 1 felony counts of attempted murder for shooting Burton and firing at two other officers. Lee, who was wounded by officers returning fire, is also charged with four other felonies related to the handgun he used and drugs found in the moped.

A trial is scheduled for Nov. 1 in Circuit Court.

Mastriano felt for current RPD officers who continue putting on their uniforms and badges and serving the public through their grief. RPD officers drove to Miami Valley and were among officers from a variety of agencies and others lining the hospital's hallway as Burton received an honor walk toward an operating room.

Video from the walk shows Brev leading the procession with officers and others lining both sides of the hallway. RPD honor guard members and Burton's family walked with her bed toward the operating room where doctors planned to harvest organs from Burton, a registered organ donor.

Burton's strength and fight, however, halted those plans.

This article originally appeared on Richmond Palladium-Item: Indiana officer shot in head taken off life support, still alive