Cops have a risky profession where they deliberately incur the danger of being injured or worse each time they wear their uniform.
Seara Burton, a Richmond Police Officer, was on duty at the Richmond Police Department in Indiana. Burton was reacting to what appeared to be a routine help call from fellow police during a traffic check on North 12th Street and C Street in Richmond on August 10.
During the traffic stop, Burton and her K-9 companion Brev conducted an open-air sniff around a moped that was suspected of trafficking drugs, according to authorities. Police identified the culprit as Phillip Matthew Lee, a 47-year-old local.
Her K-9 companion was unharmed in the incident and is being tended for by another officer in the department who was previously a K-9 handler.
While cops were interviewing Lee, he allegedly showed a pistol and fired multiple shots at them. Burton was shot and taken to Miami Valley Hospital, where she was believed to be in an “extremely severe situation.”
She has been in serious condition since her admission to the hospital, with little to no progress.
The community has come together to support Burton. The Richmond community has clearly demonstrated that it is a caring community. They went above and beyond what anyone could have imagined, Richmond Police Chief Michael Britt said earlier this month. They’re taking care of Officer Burton and their police department in ways he never imagined.
Thank you for the continued support for K-9 Officer Seara Burton, her family and the RPD family.
Posted by Richmond Police Department on Monday, 15 August 2022
Soon after the tragedy, a Facebook group called “Pray for Seara Burton” was formed, which now has over 250 members.
Her wounds appear to be irreversible, according to Miami Valley Hospital. Medical specialists and the police department agreed that Burton will be taken off life support today, September 1, 2022.
The Richmond Police Department announced on their Facebook page that Seara will be donating her organs. Seara will live on and endure to be a hero via her unselfish gift of organ donation, the statement said. Officer Burton’s legacy will go on long after she is gone. Officer Burton’s final arrangements will be made public in the coming days.
For Public Release Despite the very best efforts of all the doctors and nurses at Miami Valley Hospital, Officer Seara…
Posted by Richmond Police Department on Wednesday, 31 August 2022
Burton is 28 years old and joined the police force when she was 24 years old, serving for four years.
It’s always heartbreaking to watch a young life cut short. During this tough period, our thoughts and prayers are with Seara Burton and her family.
