Josh Kruger, a Philadelphia-based journalist, was shot seven times in the chest and abdomen in his apartment on Monday evening.
Neighbors reported hearing gunshots at about 1:30 a.m. and alerted police. Authorities arrived quickly to Kruger’s home in the Point Breeze neighborhood of Philadelphia.
Kruger, 39, was rushed to Presbyterian Medical Center but pronounced dead at approximately 2:15 a.m.
Police report there were no signs of forced entry. Fox News reported that “Kruger had previously mentioned being threatened inside his home.”
Approximately two weeks ago, Kruger noted on Facebook that someone “entered his house searching for their boyfriend — a man I’ve never met once in my entire life.”
Kruger added in his post, “The person called themselves ‘Lady Diabla, the She-Devil of the Streets’ and threatened him.”
Deputy Philadelphia Police Commissioner Frank Vanore spoke briefly with the Philadelphia Inquirer: “Either the door was open, or the offender knew how to get the door open,” he said.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that “detectives believe Kruger’s death may have been the result of a domestic dispute.” Citing three law enforcement sources, who wished to remain anonymous, the Inquirer reported officers “recovered troubling text messages between Kruger and a former partner.”
The Inquirer also reported that investigators recovered methamphetamine inside Kruger’s bedroom.
Journalist and author Andy Ngô noted on X that Kruger had a history of downplaying gun violence in the city.
Kruger was well-known in Philadelphia. According to his website, his reporting was compelling because he drew on “his unique combination of lived experience with homelessness, addiction, HIV, poverty, and trauma together with over a decade of professional experience in media, politics, and government for compelling storytelling and unparalleled insight into the news.”
The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Mayor Jim Kenney commended Kruger: “Josh cared deeply about our city and its residents, which was evident both in his public service and in his writing. His intelligence, creativity, passion, and wit shone brightly in everything that he did — and his light was dimmed much too soon.”
A co-worker, Randy LoBasso, said “He knew he had a story to tell. He knew his past trauma could be used to help his audience see a situation in a way that no one else could show it to them.”
Travelers Worldwide recently rated Philadelphia one of the most dangerous cities in America.
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