PHILADELPHIA, PA – A beloved Air Force veteran and pillar of his West Philadelphia community was gunned down in his car Tuesday afternoon in a brazen act of violence. Richard Butler, 88, was shot multiple times while parked on the 100 block of North Dewey Street.
Police sources identified a suspect seen on home surveillance footage exiting a silver sedan shortly before the shooting. However, they have not yet released a name or description of the suspect.
Butler’s family is reeling from the senseless loss of a man known for his kindness and generosity. “If you met him, you loved him,” said his niece, Minette Finn. “Anyone in this neighborhood could tell you that probably.”
Butler, a retired SEPTA driver, had a daily routine that included trips to the park and a local convenience store. His family believes the killer targeted the unsuspecting senior as he sat in his vehicle after dropping his girlfriend off at home.
“You waited for him…this wasn’t a random act,” Finn said, her voice filled with anger and grief. Butler and his girlfriend had plans to meet for dinner later on that day. Police rushed Butler to Penn Presbyterian Hospital, where he was ultimately pronounced dead.