On the afternoon of March 31, 2022, a 40-year veteran of the Lebanon City Police Department, Lieutenant William Lebo, was fatally shot while responding to a domestic-related burglary. The 63-year-old Caucasian male officer, who was just one month away from his scheduled retirement, was part of a team of officers dispatched to a home on Forest Street after a resident reported that a relative had broken in.
The suspect, identified as 34-year-old Travis Shaud, was still inside the residence when Lieutenant Lebo and three other officers arrived. As the officers attempted to enter the home, Shaud immediately opened fire with a handgun. Lieutenant Lebo was struck by the gunfire and was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Two other officers, Ryan Adams and Derek Underkoffler, both 32 years old with seven years of service, were also wounded in the exchange.
The officers who were not injured returned fire, and the gunman, Travis Shaud, was shot and later found deceased inside the home. An investigation revealed that Shaud had a history of mental health problems and a criminal record that included domestic assault. He was prohibited from possessing firearms due to past convictions and a protection from abuse order. The handgun he used in the attack was from within the residence.
Lieutenant Lebo had served with the Lebanon City Police Department for 40 years and was a respected member of the force. He was remembered by his colleagues and the community as a dedicated officer with a larger-than-life personality. His wife, Lora Lebo, in a public statement, expressed her forgiveness for the perpetrator and his family. A celebration of his life was held at the Giant Center in Hershey, attended by hundreds of family members, friends, and fellow first responders.
