Lebanon police officer’s widow stresses compassion, says she is ‘choosing to forgive the perpetrator’

“Forgiveness, compassion and understanding are values that were important to my husband, as they are to all officers."

• By Zahriah Balentine/PennLive

The widow of Lebanon City Police Lt. William Lebo, who was shot and killed March 31 while responding to a reported domestic disturbance, wrote a heartfelt Facebook post that emphasized compassion over anger.

In the tribute to her late husband that published on her Facebook page Sunday afternoon, Lora Lebo said she forgives the shooter and extends her sympathy to his family.

“Forgiveness, compassion and understanding are values that were important to my husband, as they are to all officers. I am choosing to forgive the perpetrator in this incident and offering my condolences to his family. I ask that the community do the same,” Lebo wrote. “They didn’t ask for this incident any more than I did.”

She also had a request for the news media.

“In an effort to move forward, I’m respectfully requesting that instead of the media focusing on the perpetrator of this crime, they focus on the fallen. I’m requesting that his image be replaced with that of my husband and that we remember a life well lived and not simply how he died.”

William Lebo was among several officers responding to the incident in the 1100 block of Forest Street in Lebanon mid-afternoon Thursday where Travis Shaud, 34, had broken into his stepfather’s home. Shaud opened fire as officers approached, according to officials. They shot back, killing Shaud. During the firefight, two seven-year veteran officers, Ryan Adams and Derek Underkoffler, were injured.

On Saturday, more than 3,000 people lined the street in front of a Lebanon funeral home during a procession to honor Lebo.

Wrote Lora: “Our families are overwhelmed with the outpouring of love, support, and common grief for the loss of my Husband and Corinne’s Dad, Lieutenant William Lebo. We are comforted by the presence of his fellow officers, who have selflessly stood watch to comfort us, keep us safe, tell ‘Bill stories’ and let us know that we are not alone.”

She finished the message with a photo of her late husband, looking fit and trim and smiling for the camera.

“THIS is my husband,” she wrote. “This is how I hold him in my heart.”