On November 9, 2021, 29-year-old Ryan Groff of Lancaster was shot and killed in Philadelphia’s LOVE Park during an altercation at the Christmas Village exhibit. Police say the other person involved was 43-year-old security guard Gregory Thomas Sr., employed by a private firm hired for the event. Investigators report Thomas retrieved a handgun from his Jeep and shot Groff multiple times. Thomas fled but was later detained by the security company’s operations manager and brought to the police homicide unit; he was charged with murder and related offenses.

Witness accounts and police interviews indicate Groff was attempting to enter a restricted area of the park when the confrontation occurred. Family members describe Groff as a jokester who was trying to turn his life around; his brother Richard Groff said he had tried to keep Ryan away from trouble. The motive for the shooting has not been clearly established, and the investigation remains active.

If anyone witnessed the incident or knew Ryan’s movements that day, please share what you know.