A Philadelphia journalist, Josh Kruger, was killed in a home invasion shooting at his residence on Watkins Street. The incident occurred on Monday at 1:28 a.m., according to the Philadelphia Police Department (PPD). Kruger, 39, was shot seven times in the chest and abdomen and was pronounced dead at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center at 2:13 a.m.
Authorities have confirmed that no weapons were recovered at the scene, and no arrests have been made thus far. Police responded to reports of gunshots and found Kruger lying in the street outside his house. Deputy Police Commissioner Frank Vanore stated that investigators believe Kruger was shot at the base of the interior stairs and then collapsed after running outside for help.
The motive for the shooting remains unknown. However, two weeks before the incident, Kruger had been threatened by an unknown woman who called herself “Lady Diabla, the She-Devil of the Streets.” Kruger had written about this encounter on Facebook, stating that the woman was looking for her boyfriend, whom Kruger had never met.
Kruger, a respected journalist known for his sensitive reporting and sense of humor, had recently returned to journalism full-time after working as a City Hall spokesman for five years. His work appeared in publications such as The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Philadelphia Citizen, and LGBTQ Nation.
Friends and colleagues of Kruger expressed their devastation upon learning of his death. The police investigation into the shooting is ongoing, and further details are awaited.
