'Defenseless' 88-year-old Air Force veteran killed while sitting inside car in West Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- An 88-year-old grandfather was shot and killed in broad daylight while sitting in his car Tuesday afternoon in West Philadelphia.

The shooting happened just after 1:30 p.m. on the 100 block of North Dewey Street.

Family and police sources identified the victim as Richard Butler. Police say he was shot twice in the chest.

Butler was taken to Penn Presbyterian Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Butler's family said they hope he's remembered for his big heart. He was the life of the party, an Air Force veteran, and a retired SEPTA driver. Family says he was not only the patriarch of his family, but the entire community.

"Pops. Dad. Uncle. Brother to everyone," said Minette Finn, his niece. "If you met him, you loved him. That's all I'm going to say. Anyone in this neighborhood could tell you probably."

Home surveillance from minutes before the shooting shows a man, who police sources say is a suspect, get out of a silver sedan on the corner.

Police say shortly after, Butler was shot twice in the chest while sitting in his own car.

"Broad daylight, he was out doing his normal routine. Goes to the park everyday, stops at Wawa," said Finn. "In his car, defenseless. You waited for him. You waited for this man. This wasn't a random act."

According to family, Butler had just dropped his girlfriend off. She had gone into her home when the shooting happened and they had dinner plans that night.

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Family and loved ones, in shock from the shooting, are left wondering why someone would shoot their beloved dad, grandpa, and uncle.

"He was my grandmother's brother. He was the last of them," Finn said. "Why? What is the why. This man did nothing to anyone and he gave to everyone."

Family members say Butler loved to dance and was described as the life of the party.

"If you met him, you loved him. That's all I' going to say. Anyone in this neighborhood could tell you, probably he wore his heart on his sleeve and he gave to everyone," Finn said. "Everybody just got to be there for everybody right now. That's all we can do. There's too many families in this city that's going through this everyday."

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call police at 215-686-TIPS.

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