The suspect in the murder of Philadelphia journalist Josh Kruger is also charged in a shooting that occurred at a SEPTA station in September, officials announced Monday.
Robert Davis. 19, is charged with aggravated assault, gun possession violations, simple assault and other related offenses.
Police said Davis was on the mezzanine level of the Tasker-Morris Station back on Sept. 25 at 6 a.m. when he bumped into a woman, leading to a brief altercation. Davis then allegedly pulled out a gun and fired before fleeing the scene. No one was injured during that incident.
Davis was also arrested on Oct. 25 in the shooting death of Josh Kruger. He was later charged with murder, possession of instrument of crime, tampering with evidence and other related offenses in connection to Kruger's death.
Get top local stories in Philly delivered to you every morning. >Sign up for NBC Philadelphia's News Headlines newsletter.
Kruger, 39, was killed on Monday, Oct. 2, after being shot at his home on the 2300 block of Watkins Street in the Point Breeze neighborhood of Philadelphia.
On October 6, police revealed that Davis was wanted in connection to Kruger's death. His last known address is about two blocks from where Kruger lived.
Davis had experienced homelessness in the past and is known to the Philadelphia Police Department for previous incidents, investigators said. He was described by police as an acquaintance of Kruger.
Shortly after news of Kruger's death was made public, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney in a post on X, the platform formally known as Twitter, remembered the journalist as a person who "cared deeply about our city and its residents."
"Our administration was fortunate to call him a colleague, and our prayers are with everyone who knew him," Kenney wrote.
Kruger's work for his communities was also remembered by the district attorney's office:
“Josh Kruger lifted up the most vulnerable and stigmatized people in our communities – particularly unhoused people living with addiction," District Attorney Larry Krasner said in a news release. "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. Josh deserved to write the ending of his personal story."
Kruger's impact on the city was expressed by the DA office's LGBTQ+ Advisory Committee:
"Many of us knew Josh Kruger as a comrade who never stopped advocating for queer Philadelphians living on the margins of society. 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. Even while Josh worked for the Mayor, he never stopped speaking out against police violence, politicized attacks on trans and queer people, or the societal discarding of homeless and addicted Philadelphians."
Sign up for our Breaking newsletter to get the most urgent news stories in your inbox.
