Murder suspect Robert Davis, 19, Philadelphia journalist Josh Kruger, knew the activist who ‘tried to help him get through life’,

Police in Pennsylvania have named the ‘armed and dangerous’ 19-year-old suspect in the shooting death of Philadelphia journalist and community advocate Josh Kruger.

Kruger (39) is according to the homicide unit, lt. Hamilton Marshmond, shot seven times by Robert Davis in his two-story townhouse in South Philadelphia on Monday.

A warrant is out for Davis’ arrest, citing ‘murder and related offences’. Police said they were able to identify Davis following several tips and a video of the “incident prior to the murder,” but did not provide additional details.

“Our goal is to arrest Mr. Davis in a manner that is safe for the public, our officers and himself,” Marshmond said Friday.

Detectives said Kruger knew Davis and tried to help him before he was killed. It is unclear how Davis got inside the residence, but police say they do not believe the suspect was staying with the victim.

Detectives said Kruger knew Davis and tried to help him before he was killed

Kruger was able to make it outside to seek help before he succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital about half an hour later.

“He was just trying to help him get through life,” Marshmond said.

Davis reportedly went through several problems, including homelessness.

Kruger – who served five years in his city’s government from 2016 to 2021 – survived the initial encounter, and was able to make it outside to seek help before succumbing to his injuries at a local hospital about half an hour later .

There were no signs of forced entry at Kruger’s home, and police believe the shooting took place around 1:30 a.m. Friday.

Davis was known to the police and had been arrested several times. but police declined to elaborate on their interactions with him, as reported by The Philadelphia Enquirer.

A law enforcement source told local detectives the shooting was domestic in nature, and Kruger and Davis were in a relationship.

He rose from homelessness and addiction to work social media for his city’s Democratic mayor, James Kenney.

“Josh cared deeply about our city and its residents, which was evident in his public service and in his writing,” Kenney said, recalling the years Kruger simultaneously handled social media for him and the city’s homeless humanitarian effort. .

At the time of his death, Kruger returned to journalism, writing for the Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Weekly, Philadelphia City Paper, and more

Mayor Jim Kenney, a Democrat who took office in 2016, said he was “shocked and saddened” by Kruger’s death, citing how the journalist had previously worked for him as both a social media manager and the head of the city’s Office of Homeless Services

“His intelligence, creativity, passion and wit shone brightly in everything he did — and his light was dimmed far too soon,” Kenney added, revealing how Kruger left city government to focus on writing projects for news. and matters he considered important.

At the time of his death, Kruger had returned to journalism for the past two years, writing for the Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Weekly, Philadelphia City Paper and more.

One such cause commonly covered by the journalist was the prevalence of homelessness and drugs in urban settings – something he himself was all too familiar with before he was off the streets and back on the straight and narrow.

Kruger was diagnosed with HIV during his time on the streets – an affliction he has since overcome with medication and a healthier lifestyle.

The accomplished writer, several friends and officials added, was also openly gay, and often wrote about displaced people on the fringes of society.

Such work was not lost on the city’s District Attorney Larry Krasner on Monday, who Kruger remembered by praising his longtime contributions to the city.

“As an openly queer author who has written about his own journey through substance use disorder and homelessness…Josh Kruger has lifted up the most vulnerable and stigmatized people in our communities,” Krasner said.

Kruger won several awards for his poignant and often humorous style, and described himself as a “militant cyclist” and “an advocate of the singular they, the Oxford comma, and pre-Elon Twitter” on his website.

His death is one of at least 330 homicides that have occurred in Philadelphia since the start of the year, according to publicly available Philadelphia police data.