PA - Josh Kruger, 39, community advocate and journalist, shot and killed at home - Philadelphia, 2 Oct 2023

[ifindedout]

Advocate, journalist Josh Kruger shot dead inside South Philly home

Police are investigating after a man died after being shot seven times during an incident that happened in South Philadelphia early Monday.

www.nbcphiladelphia.com

Police are investigating after an LGBTQ+ and homelessness community advocate and journalist was shot and killed inside his South Philadelphia home early Monday.

According to law enforcement officials, the 39-year-old man -- identified as Josh Kruger by the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office -- was shot several times in the chest and abdomen just before 1:30 a.m. in a home along the 2300 block of Watkins Street.

Kruger died at the hospital a short time later, police said.

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney in a post on X, the platform formally known as Twitter, remembered Kruger as a person who "cared deeply about our city and its residents."

Journalist Josh Kruger fatally shot inside his Point Breeze home

Police say the 39-year-old was killed early Monday by a person who had entered his residence. Kruger also worked as a city spokesperson and outspoken LGBTQ advocate

www.phillyvoice.com

The Inquirer reported Monday that Kruger had posted to Facebook in September about a person who had entered his home, searching for their boyfriend. Kruger said the person identified themself as "Lady Diabla, the She-Devil of the Streets." On Monday, those details could not be found on posts to Kruger's Facebook page that were publicly viewable.

In an Aug. 29 post to Instagram, Kruger shared photos from a home security camera of a dark-colored Ram 1500 pickup truck and wrote that the driver had "sent a heavy glass egg (?!) projectile through my front window." He called it "seemingly a targeted act" and asked for help identifying the pickup's driver.

Kruger was an award-winning journalist who wrote for many publications in Philadelphia as a staff member and freelance writer, including PhillyVoice, the Inquirer, BillyPenn, WHYY, Philadelphia Magazine and others. He also spent five years as a spokesperson and content director for City Hall before he resumed his career as a journalist in 2021.

 

[tlcya]

Kruger, 39, was shot seven times in the chest and abdomen at his Point Breeze home at around 1:28 a.m., police said. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.
https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/02/us/josh-kruger-death-philadelphia/index.html

 

[realanastasia]

"A freelance journalist was shot and killed at his home in South Philadelphia early Monday morning, the police said. The journalist, Josh Kruger, 39, was shot seven times. The police said that no arrests had been made and that no weapon was found. The police arrived at the scene about 1:30 a.m., and Mr. Kruger was pronounced dead at a hospital around 2:15."

Philadelphia Journalist Is Killed in His Home

Josh Kruger, 39, was shot seven times. The police said that no arrests had been made.

www.nytimes.com

https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/02/us/josh-kruger-death-philadelphia/index.html

Local journalist Josh Kruger fatally shot inside Point Breeze home

Police responded to the 2300 block of Watkins Street and found Kruger shot multiple times.

www.inquirer.com

 

[Marysmith]

He did so much good! This is so sad.

 

[HelenM]

From realanastasia's Inquirer link ..

The charity others showed him during times of hardship influenced how he treated people — and pets — in his life. He often took in older, hard-to-adopt cats, including those with FIV, the feline version of HIV. His current companion and “best friend” was a one-toothed senior cat named Mason.

How lovely.
RIP Josh Kruger.

 

[tlcya]

Jaz Brown heard the gunshots and screams of her neighbor, Kruger, outside their door early Monday morning.

"Josh was calling for help and I called the police to make sure they'd come out for them," Brown said.
[snip]
"When I was a victim of a hate crime, he was one of the first people to be neighborly and come over and provide support. Kind words. At that time I feared for my safety. I feared people would come back again," Stephens said.
Philadelphia journalist Josh Kruger shot, killed inside Point Breeze neighborhood home

 

[ifindedout]

POI ID'd, not publicly named (very short, not much else to say)

Police seek person of interest for questioning about Kruger murder

Police have identified and want to talk to a person of interest in the murder of Philadelphia journalist and activist Josh Kruger. Authorities have not made the identity of the person of interest publicly known.

www.audacy.com

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Kenney said in a statement on Monday that he was "shocked and saddened" by Kruger's death.

"[Kruger] cared deeply about our city and its residents, which was evident in his public service and writing," Kenney said in a statement. "Our administration was fortunate to call him a colleague, and our prayers are with everyone who knew him."

The DA's LGBTQ+ Advisory Committee said Kruger never stopped fighting for Philadelphia's LGBTQ+ community.

Kendall Stephens, who was a friend and neighbor of Kruger's, said he was a force for change who lived out the words he wrote to give voice to the voiceless.

Josh Kruger murder: Police ID person of interest in killing of Philadelphia journalist

A person of interest has been identified in the murder of Josh Kruger, the Philly journalist and activist who was shot and killed in his Point Breeze home, Philadelphia police said on Tuesday.

www.cbsnews.com

 

[LadyL]

Strange case. Will be interesting to find out who the POI is.

 

[ifindedout]

Live presser.

Police ID suspect in murder of Philly advocate and journalist Josh Kruger

Police identified the suspect in the murder of Philadelphia journalist and advocate Josh Kruger as 19-year-old Robert Edmond Davis.

www.nbcphiladelphia.com

ETA: Warrant is for Robert Davis, 19. Kruger and Davis were acquainted, JK was "trying to help him get through life."

 

[tlcya]

Police identified the suspect as Robert Edmond Davis. Davis' last known address is about two blocks from where Kruger lived.

Davis is described as a 19-year-old Black male standing 5-foot-5 and weighing 160 pounds.

He is considered armed and dangerous.

If you see Davis, do not approach him but call 911 immediately.
Arrest warrant issued in murder of Philly advocate and journalist Josh Kruger

 

[nhmemorymaker]

Police are investigating after an LGBTQ+ and homelessness community advocate and journalist was shot and killed inside his South Philadelphia home early Monday.

According to law enforcement officials, the 39-year-old man -- identified as Josh Kruger by the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office -- was shot several times in the chest and abdomen just before 1:30 a.m. in a home along the 2300 block of Watkins Street.

Kruger died at the hospital a short time later, police said.

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney in a post on X, the platform formally known as Twitter, remembered Kruger as a person who "cared deeply about our city and its residents."


The Inquirer reported Monday that Kruger had posted to Facebook in September about a person who had entered his home, searching for their boyfriend. Kruger said the person identified themself as "Lady Diabla, the She-Devil of the Streets." On Monday, those details could not be found on posts to Kruger's Facebook page that were publicly viewable.

In an Aug. 29 post to Instagram, Kruger shared photos from a home security camera of a dark-colored Ram 1500 pickup truck and wrote that the driver had "sent a heavy glass egg (?!) projectile through my front window." He called it "seemingly a targeted act" and asked for help identifying the pickup's driver.

Kruger was an award-winning journalist who wrote for many publications in Philadelphia as a staff member and freelance writer, including PhillyVoice, the Inquirer, BillyPenn, WHYY, Philadelphia Magazine and others. He also spent five years as a spokesperson and content director for City Hall before he resumed his career as a journalist in 2021.

More in the attached article. I encourage reading it in entirety. What a loss.

 

[dotr]

Philadelphia journalist Josh Kruger was shot dead by teen he was ‘trying to help’: police

Davis allegedly shot Kruger seven times in the chest and abdomen while the journalist stood at the base of his stairs inside his home around 1:30 a.m. as the teen fled the area.

nypost.com

Robert Davis, 19, was named as the suspect in the death of freelance reporter Josh Kruger in his Point Breeze neighborhood on Monday.Philadelphia Police Department

''Police noted there is footage that shows Davis in the area of Kruger’s house before the fatal shooting, but a specific location wasn’t given.

A motive for the shooting was not provided by police either''

 

[TwinkieDefense]

Oct 6, 2023 article

Police name suspect wanted for murder of Philadelphia journalist Josh Kruger

Police said they have video of the suspect in the area of Josh Kruger's home before the shooting.

abc30.com

[…]

Police say Davis is still at large and is considered to be armed and dangerous.

[…]

Police said they have video of the suspect in the area of Kruger's home before the shooting.

[…]

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Robert Edmond Davis, 19, was identified as the suspect, Philadelphia police homicide unit Lt. Hamilton Marshmond said during a Friday news conference, per CNN.

Marshmond said an arrest warrant that “includes the charges of murder and related offenses” was issued, according to the outlet. He also urged the suspect to surrender to police.

"Our goal is to have Mr. Davis taken into custody in a safe manner for the public, our officers and himself,” the police lieutenant said.

Philadelphia Police Have Issued an Arrest Warrant for a Suspect in the Murder of Journalist Josh Kruger

A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Robert Edmond Davis, 19, who has been identified as the suspect in the Oct. 2 murder of Philadelphia journalist Josh Kruger. Police say he knew the victim, who was trying to help him.

people.com

 

[sds71]

The family’s contentions come as detectives separately discovered and are investigating what multiple law enforcement sources have called explicit photos and messages in Kruger’s phone. The sources, who requested anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation, did not say whether the images or messages were connected to Davis, but said they were “disturbing” and have been turned over to the department’s Special Victims Unit for further analysis.

Deputy Police Commissioner Frank Vanore said the contents of Kruger’s phone are part of the investigation as detectives seek to learn more about why he may have been killed. But critical details of what happened, he said, lie with Davis, who remains at-large.

“I think he could answer a lot of questions if he comes into custody and surrenders,” Vanore said. “It might help us put all this together.”

Family of man wanted for killing Josh Kruger says the 19-year-old and the journalist shared sex and drugs

The assertions by Robert Davis’ mother and older brother add new complexities to a killing that has garnered national attention.

www.inquirer.com

 

[jellybeanz]

Sad to say, but Kruger was having indecent affairs with a 15 year old.

 

[azure]

The family’s contentions come as detectives separately discovered and are investigating what multiple law enforcement sources have called explicit photos and messages in Kruger’s phone. The sources, who requested anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation, did not say whether the images or messages were connected to Davis, but said they were “disturbing” and have been turned over to the department’s Special Victims Unit for further analysis.

Deputy Police Commissioner Frank Vanore said the contents of Kruger’s phone are part of the investigation as detectives seek to learn more about why he may have been killed. But critical details of what happened, he said, lie with Davis, who remains at-large.

“I think he could answer a lot of questions if he comes into custody and surrenders,” Vanore said. “It might help us put all this together.”

Family of man wanted for killing Josh Kruger says the 19-year-old and the journalist shared sex and drugs

The assertions by Robert Davis’ mother and older brother add new complexities to a killing that has garnered national attention.

www.inquirer.com

I suspected from the get go that this would be a domestic crime and that it would be sordid, but I never imagined it would be (allegedly) criminal. Though nobody deserves to be murdered, it sounds like Kruger was weaving a tangled web.

 

[Marysmith]

Sad to say, but Kruger was having indecent affairs with a 15 year old.

Agree… IMO. Omg.

 

[sds71]

On Wednesday night, Philadelphia police announced the arrest of 19-year-old Robert Edmond Davis in the murder of Josh Kruger.

Suspect arrested in murder of Philadelphia journalist Josh Kruger

Josh Kruger was a 39-year-old freelance journalist and former city employee. He was shot seven times in the chest and abdomen on the morning of October 2.

6abc.com