Philadelphia journalist shot, killed inside home
By TOM DOUGHERTY
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PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (KYW) — Josh Kruger, a Philadelphia journalist and activist, was shot and killed inside his home in Point Breeze early Monday morning, police said. The shooting happened shortly before 1:30 a.m. in the 2300 block of Watkins Street.
Kruger, 39, was shot seven times, according to police. He was taken to an area hospital, where he later died.
Police have not made any arrests and no weapons were recovered.
Kruger overcame homelessness and addiction to work for five years in city government, handling Mayor Jim Kenney’s social media and serving as the communications director for the city’s Office of Homeless Services.
He left city government in 2021 to return to journalism, according to his website. He wrote for the Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Weekly, Philadelphia City Paper and other publications.
Kenney said in a statement that he is “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.”
On his website, Kruger described himself as a cat person who “hates driving cars, preferring to bicycle or ride trains.”
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said in a statement that “Josh deserved to write the ending of his personal story.”
“Josh Kruger lifted up the most vulnerable and stigmatized people in our communities — particularly unhoused people living with addiction,” Krasner said. “As an openly queer writer who wrote about his own journey surviving substance use disorder and homelessness, it was encouraging to see Josh join the Kenney administration as a spokesperson for the Office of Homeless Services.”
The DA’s LGBTQ+ Advisory Committee said Kruger never stopped fighting for Philadelphia’s LGBTQ+ community.
“Many of us knew Josh Kruger as a comrade who never stopped advocating for queer Philadelphians living on the margins of society,” the committee said in a statement. “His struggles mirrored so many of ours — from community rejection, to homelessness, to addiction, to living with HIV, to poverty — and his recovery, survival, and successes showed what’s possible when politicians and elected leaders reject bigotry and work affirmatively to uplift all people.”
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