Man shot, dog killed by 2 men possibly targeting homeless community in Philadelphia, police say

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Philadelphia police are investigating a shooting at a Kensington homeless encampment that left one man wounded and a dog dead, with investigators saying they are exploring whether the unhoused community may have been targeted.

The shooting happened around 11 p.m. Sunday on the 2400 block of Kensington Avenue, under the EL train.

Police said two suspects dressed in black opened fire on the encampment, striking a man in the leg and killing a 3-year-old dog named Buddy.

The injured man was taken to Temple University Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition. No arrests had been made as of Monday, and police have not identified a motive.

Philadelphia Police Inspector D.F. Pace said investigators are considering the possibility that the suspects were targeting people experiencing homelessness, though police emphasized that no conclusion has been reached.

"It's possible," Pace said, adding that investigators are still working to determine a motive. He also said the dog may have been trying to protect members of the encampment when the shooting occurred.

A neighbor who lives nearby said he rushed to help after hearing gunfire.

"I'm a combat veteran. I was a combat medic," the neighbor said. "I came here and tried to stop the bleeding, put a tourniquet on him. Since I live right next to where it happened, I couldn't ignore it."

The dog's owner, who lives in the vacant lot where the encampment is located, told Action News that Buddy had never harmed anyone.

Homeless outreach workers who knew both the victim and the dog described them as beloved members of a close-knit community.

"We all knew the dog. It was a community dog. We know the guys involved. We know the encampment," said Carol Thomas, director of Project HOME. "They are just trying to find a place to sleep, to thrive and to be together."

Thomas said the shooting has deeply affected people living in the area.

"No community deserves the violence," she said.

Monique Taylor, an outreach worker with Project HOME who regularly works in Kensington, said the people living at the encampment rely on one another
for support.

"They just would be in their encampment together. They're like family," Taylor said.

She described Buddy as affectionate and friendly.

"He always wanted to be pet, always wanted to show a lot of love," Taylor said. "The gentleman ... we don't deserve that. We don't deserve to be targeted already in a targeted community."

Police are asking anyone with information about the shooting to contact investigators. The investigation remains ongoing.