Kristofer Metzger was a Uber driver who was shot to death while he was working in a Pittsburgh neighborhood over the weekend. Metzger was a husband, father, and veteran.
Pittsburgh Public Safety sent out alerts Saturday, March 6, 2021, shortly after 12:30 a.m., saying police and EMS were on the scene of a shooting in the 2700 block of Zephry Avenue in Sheraden. No suspects had been identified as of Monday morning.
“Medics have pronounced one adult male deceased. PIO is on scene. Additional information will be posted when it becomes available,” an updated alert said.
The family later identified the victim as Metzger. A GoFundMe page organized by his brother, Stephen Metzger, said “you would never catch him without his signature giant smile or goofy grin.”
Age
He was 35 years old.
Pittsburgh Shooting
In the fatal shooting, police said a man was found dead in a vehicle when they responded to multiple 911 calls of shots fired shortly after midnight Saturday on the
Metzger was one of two people who were killed in three separate shootings reported in Pittsburgh neighborhoods between Friday and Saturday, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported.
The second person to be killed was Julian Carter, 30, who was shot to death in Homewood. In that case, Christopher Robert Papalia, 29, of Trafford, was arrested and charged with criminal homicide.
Arrest
No arrests had been made in Metzger’s death as of Monday morning. Police and EMS found the Uber driver in his vehicle with multiple gunshot wounds. No suspects were immediately identified.
Tribute
Metzger left behind a wife, Davida, and daughter, Peyton. His brother, Stephen Metzger, started a GoFundMe to help raise funds for his grieving family. The fundraiser page generated nearly $7,000 in 21 hours.
“Kris was a smart, funny, and caring man who was the life of the party wherever he went. He made instant friends with anyone and everyone he met. He never judged anyone and brought joy and love to all he knew. There will be a noticeable void in the world with his absence,” Stephen Metzger wrote.
He said his brother was a veteran of the Army National Guard and such an avid fan of Pittsburgh sports that “I am not sure he owned anything other than Penguins, Pirates, or Steelers attire.” In nearly all of his pictures, he was wearing a jersey from the Pirates, Penguins, or Steelers. The photos show Metzger with his wife and daughter. In one, Peyton is on his shoulders, smiling and holding a Pittsburgh Pirates plush near PNC Park.
“Kris was a loving husband and father,” his brother wrote. “You would never catch him without his signature giant smile or goofy grin.”
Police Report
Pittsburgh Public Safety released a report on the shooting, which said:
Pittsburgh Police and EMS responded to Shotspotter alerts and multiple 9-1-1 calls, for a shooting on the 2700 block of Zephyr Avenue around 12:10 a.m.
When first responders arrived, they discovered a male with multiple gunshot wounds in a vehicle.
Medics pronounced him deceased shortly after arriving on the scene.
The Mobile Crime Unit and Homicide detectives arrived to process the scene.
There are no suspect descriptions and the investigation is ongoing.
