'He was their hero': Family remembers Philadelphia father of 7 killed in suspected mistaken identity shooting

PHILADELPHIA - A Philadelphia family is grieving the loss of a father of seven who authorities say was gunned down outside his home in what police believe was a case of mistaken identity. 

Investigators say 37-year-old Daniel Ruley was found dead on his front lawn of his family's home on the 100 block of Washington Lane in Germantown late Sunday night. 

It's believed that Ruley, a 13-year SEPTA employee, had just parked his car after dropping his wife off outside the home when a shooter exited a dark-colored vehicle and fired over a dozen times.

A witness told police Ruley was ‘ambushed and executed’ by someone laying in wait, Captain Anthony Ginaldi relayed to reports at the scene of the shooting.

Less than 24 hours after the murder, Captain Jason Smith of the Philadelphia Police Department's Homicide Unit said investigators believe Ruley was "completely innocent." 

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"It sounds like the firearm possibly has a switch attached to it which would render it fully automatic," Smith told reporters about the shooter who is still being sought by police. 

Sharmaine Rush, Ruley's sister-in-law, spoke to FOX 29 on Monday and described the immeasurable impact that his death will have on his seven young children. 

"He was their hero, every last one of them, from the little one to the big one," Rush said. "He was all about family -- taking his sons to football, taking his daughter to dance."

Authorities have not provided a motive for what compelled the shooter to erroneously target Ruley. 

"Just turn yourselves in, you had no reason to do this, there was no reason at all," Rush said. "He didn’t deserve it."

A GoFundMe campaign has been established in Ruley's name to help the raise money for his family.