Tributes continue after Officer Seara Burton returns to Richmond
RICHMOND, Ind. — Officer Seara Burton is back in Richmond.
The 28-year-old was transferred Saturday to a Richmond-area hospice facility, according to a news release by Richmond Police Department administration. Burton had remained in Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio, since she was shot in the head Aug. 10 until the police-escorted trip to Richmond.
Burton was taken off life support Sept. 1 and wheeled in her American-flag draped hospital bed on an honor walk past her fellow officers to an operating room in anticipation of donating her organs. She defied expectations and has survived more than four days. An RPD update prior to Burton's transfer said her condition had remained largely unchanged.
"She will continue receiving excellent care and be surrounded by her family," said the administration statement that was released after Burton arrived in Richmond. "The family is grateful for all of the community support but does request privacy at this time. Please be respectful of the family’s wishes while they spend this precious time with Seara."
People have continued to visit a tribute to Burton along North Fifth Street outside the Richmond Municipal Building. On Thursday, RPD placed the police vehicle Burton shared with her K-9 partner, Brev, onto a sidewalk, parking it so it faced North Fifth Street.
Quickly after the vehicle was positioned among a large photo of Burton and Brev and a prayer board that had been outside the police department entrance on the building's west side people began paying tribute to Burton. Flowers, treats for Brev, stuffed animals, flags, shirts and candles now cover the vehicle's hood and decorate the ground in front.
Paper bags, sand and candles have been provided for visitors to create luminarias. Those luminarias, which are lined along the North Fifth Street sidewalk, were lit Sunday night.
Other tributes also continue.
The Indiana Law Enforcement Academy, from which Burton graduated in 2019, posted on Facebook a photo of a large LED billboard honoring Burton along Interstate 70 near the Plainfield facility.
That page also shared a post from Danville's police department showing officers and others who train CrossFit who each honored Burton with 140 repetitions of 140-pound lifts combined in squat, bench press and deadlift, Burton's three favorite weightlifting exercises. The 140 repetitions and pounds represent Burton's badge and unit number.
Another Facebook page, UKC Coonhounds, posted that the United Kennel Club would donate $10,000 to support Burton's family. The UKC annually visits Wayne County for its Labor Day weekend Autumn Oaks coonhound event.
Local fundraising efforts also continue.
Luxe Lizzie's Boutique, which is owned by Lori Branum-Troutwide, the daughter of former RPD Chief Jim Branum, announced the continuation of a Facebook Live auction to benefit Burton and her family. The auction initially raised more than $40,000 Aug. 31, but more than 100 items remain, according to a Facebook post. Those items will be auctioned off beginning at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 6.
Warm Glow Candles is making and selling special black-and-blue candles to raise money for RPD's K-9 unit in Burton's honor. The vanilla-fragrance candles are available from warmglow.com.
Burton was shot during a traffic stop related to a narcotics investigation. Phillip Matthew Lee, 47, has been charged with three counts of Level 1 felony attempted murder and four other felonies related to the incident. He is accused of shooting Burton and firing at two other officers.
The shooting occurred less than two weeks before Burton's scheduled wedding day. On that day, her fiancee, Siearra Neal, wore her wedding dress as she was escorted to Burton's hospital bedside.
This article originally appeared on Richmond Palladium-Item: Richmond Police Officer Seara Burton returns home, tributes pour in
