Mother shares heartbreaking tributes to son shot in Philadelphia

‘He was just starting his life’: Mother shares heartbreaking tributes to her son, 25, who was mugged and shot dead in cold blood as he was walking his dog in Philadelphia

• Milan Loncar, 25, was shot dead Wednesday while he was out walking his dog  
• Surveillance video showed two men as they surrounded him on the sidewalk
• They then appeared to rifle through his pockets before he was shot in the chest
• The suspects then ran from the scene while Milan clutched the dog’s leash 
• The 2019 graduate of Temple University worked in construction management 
• His mother Amy Lounsberry said ‘everything was coming together for him’

The devastated mother of a Philadelphia man shot dead while walking his dog has paid tribute to her beloved son.

Milan Loncar, 25, a recent graduate of Temple University, was walking his dachshund-chihuahua mix dog named Roo on Wednesday at about 7pm when he was shot dead.

His mother, Amy Lounsberry, told the Philadelphia Inquirer ‘everything was coming together’ for ‘a beloved sweet boy just starting his life’.

He had graduated from Temple University in 2019 after majoring in engineering and had been working for a construction management company for about a year.  

Surveillance video from the incident shows two suspects walking down the sidewalk – Milan was about a block from his home – then splitting up to corral Milan as they approach him, stopping him in his tracks.  

One of the suspects can be seen pulling out what appears to be a gun and holding it at chest level to stop Milan. The suspect then seems to reach for Milan’s pockets. 

Police said that a shot was then fired and that the suspects ran from the scene. 

There is a $20,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction, and a GoFundMe set up to increase the reward has already raised more than $30,000. 

Amy Lounsberry shared this picture of herself with her son Milan and her daughter Jelena Loncar

Milan’s mother shared that she would be holding a memorial on Friday, writing: ‘I want to stand tonight where my son fell and I’m hoping some of you will stand with me in remembrance’

Milan Loncar, 25, was walking his dachshund-Chihuahua mix dog on Wednesday at about 7pm when he was shot dead

Lounsberry has shared a series of heartbreaking posts and spoken about his life in interviews with local news outlets.

‘He is so missed and we are trying to pull together and get everybody through,’ she told 6 ABC. ‘He was going to move in with his girlfriend in March, he had graduated and had his first job and was just starting out.

‘I don’t know why they did it, I can’t understand. They didn’t get any money, did they need it so badly, were they trying to show off?

‘I was so proud of him and everybody that he worked with, everybody he knew, they all said how he was doing so well. Everybody loved him.’ 

Lounsberry wrote on Facebook on Friday: ‘I want to stand tonight where my son fell and I’m hoping some of you will stand with me in remembrance. I will be at 31st and Jefferson between 6:56, the time of the shots fired radio call, to 730 when he was declared dead.’

She then thanked people for attending, writing: ‘Thank you all for coming tonight, it was so nice to have all of your support. I know we’re all shocked and hurting but we were together tonight.’ 

Surveillance video caught the moment when Milan Locar, 25, was stopped by two men who rifled through his pockets and then shot him in the chest

Police released surveillance images of the suspects as they ran from the shooting scene

The shooting suspects are seen here as they walk down the street together (left), before separating briefly to surround Milan (right) as he walks his dog

Police are seeking help in identifying the suspects, seen here as they run away from the scene

Police said that Milan used his cell phone to call for help after he was shot and was found in the street injured, while still holding the dog’s leash, CBS Philadelphia reported.  

Milan was declared dead at the hospital at about 7.30pm. 

Police believe that Milan was killed in the midst of an attempted robbery.   

Family members told the Philadelphia Inquirer that Milan’s house keys and cell phone were found at the scene. He didn’t have his wallet on him – he’d left it at home.  

Milan’s sister Jelena Loncar, 27,  lives near her brother. She said she first learned about the shooting through an alert on the Citizen App as she was driving home from dinner with her mother. 

At the time, she wasn’t aware of who had been shot. 

Lounsberry has shared a series of heartbreaking posts and spoken about his life in interviews with local news outlets

Milan’s sister, Jelena Loncar (pictured), said that he was the ‘kindest person in the entire world’

Jelena (left with Milan) said that she heard about a shooting through a neighborhood app and called her brother, but he didn’t answer, leaving her to fear the worst

She said that she called Milan, who didn’t answer his phone, leading her to fear the worst, she told CBS Philadelphia. 

Jelena’s roommate, Arshiya Luthra, 26, then went to the scene, described Milan and then realized he had been the person who had been shot when police brought her Milan’s dog, Luthra told the Philadelphia Inquirer.  

Jelena described her brother as being ‘the kindest person in the entire world’ and that he was ‘selfless, constantly smiling.’

His uncle, Nikola Loncar, 66, told the newspaper that Milan ‘was very polite. I don’t think he would ever fight anybody.’

Milan (pictured) was walking his dog at about 7pm that night, about a block from his home. His family said that he did not have his wallet with him at the time he was stopped

The shooting took place near this Philadelphia intersection, about a block from Milan’s home

Police released surveillance footage showing multiple angles of the suspects approaching and stopping Milan. Surveillance footage also showed the suspects as they ran away. 

Police are asking for the public’s help in providing details about the incident, which they are calling an apparent robbery. 

Anyone with details about the shooting is asked to contact the homicide unit at 215-686-3334 or the police tip line at 215-686-TIPS (8477) or email [email protected]. 

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