Man, 69, shot to death while delivering newspapers

NEW KENSINGTON, Pa. — A 69-year-old man who was delivering newspapers was shot to death early Thursday morning in New Kensington, police said.

Gregory Smith was shot while driving about 3 a.m. on Kenneth Avenue, according to investigators. He then lost control of his car and crashed into a fence and a grill about a block away.

Police said Smith was shot once in the head and died at the scene.

No arrests have been made and authorities are working to determine whether the shooting was random or targeted.

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“We don’t know if this is a robbery attempt or just random,” New Kensington Police Chief Robert Deringer said.

According to our partners at the Trib, Smith started delivering the Tribune-Review on May 15 as an independent contractor. They said he worked as an independent carrier for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for more than 18 years.

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Jeanne Smith can't understand why someone would shoot and kill her brother-in-law. She said delivering newspapers was a job Smith did every day for 15 years and loved every second of it.

"The paper was his life-- doing the newspaper. He loved it. He would take it up to everyone's door," Jeanne Smith said.

Family said Smith was a retired Army veteran and they're hoping someone can help them answer why someone would violently take their loved one away from them.

"He was a good person. Find out who did this. We want to know why," Jeanne Smith said.

Cox Media Group