Mayor Jim Kenney and District Attorney Larry Krasner Spoke About This Cruel Loss
By Dolores Quintana
Josh Kruger, a dedicated journalist and advocate who was once unhoused himself and who recovered from addiction to become a prominent spokesperson for the city’s most marginalized communities, was shot to death in his own home.
Only 39 years old, Kruger was brutally shot seven times in the early morning hours around 1:00 a.m. He sought assistance and managed to make it onto the street before collapsing, ultimately succumbing to his injuries at a nearby hospital. Law enforcement officials suspect that the assailant gained access to his Point Breeze home either through an unlocked door or by possessing knowledge of how to enter discreetly, as reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer. As of now, no arrests have been made, and no weapons have been recovered.
The authorities have not yet disclosed details surrounding the circumstances of the killing. Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney expressed his deep sorrow over the loss, remarking, “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 bright in everything that he did — and his light was dimmed much too soon.”
Kruger served as the social media handler for the mayor and worked in communications for the Office of Homeless Services from approximately 2016 to 2021. He left that work to devote more time to writing.
His website described himself as a “militant bicyclist” and “a proponent of the singular they, the Oxford comma, and pre-Elon Twitter.“
District Attorney Larry Krasner, in a statement issued on Monday, celebrated Kruger’s significant contributions to the city, saying, “As an openly queer writer who wrote about his own journey surviving substance use disorder and homelessness, … Josh Kruger lifted up the most vulnerable and stigmatized people in our communities — particularly unhoused people living with addiction. Josh deserved to write the ending of his personal story.”
