A Dangriga Businessman is Murdered; Was He the Intended Target?
Kenrick Drysdale
A business owner was shot and killed this morning in Dangriga. The carwash owner was at his property with a friend when the killer struck. He tried to get away, but he was shot twice. By the time police arrived at the scene, the businessman had been rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police recovered four nine-millimeter expended shells and two live rounds. Here’s the story.
Andrea Polanco, Reporting
A killer walked into “One Love Car Wash” on Commerce Street in Dangriga around nine-thirty this morning. But he didn’t have any love for the owner – there he pulled out his gun and fired multiple shots, killing thirty-year-old Kenrick “Log On” Drysdale. Drysdale was reportedly with a friend doing some work in the yard – but that friend says that the killer was hanging around and made a calculated move on Drysdale – the friend narrowly escaped the bullets.
Voice of: Friend of the Deceased
“Two ah we the work together front ah the place. I the rake and he the you know – that happen bout round eight-thirty to nine. All of a sudden this young bwai come from nowhere but since I deh with mi bwai Log On deh nuh mussie want to you know – so he wait until Log On gone from by me and gone to the back where has his vehicle dah deh he get two more shots. He done get two more shots on the street already. But deh miss me and ketch he and he gone back of the vehicle and he same time bally come and just bam, bam, bam, bam.”
Drysdale was shot in the chest and lower back. He was pronounced dead at the Southern Regional Hospital. He had been operating the One Love Car Wash business in Dangriga for over a year and was well-kwown to the residents and in the business community. Last year, his small business fell on tough times when he had close his doors due to the COVID-19 regulations. In an interview with our media colleague Geovanni Brackett back in April, Drysdale spoke of the hardships he was facing due to the pandemic.
Kenrick Drysdale
Kenrick Drysdale, Deceased [File: April 2020]
“The pressure the come down very hard fi three weeks right now I lock down my place due to the COVID-19. I try respect the law and suh – if the government gets to understand and the media get to understand that wah car wash is also a part of this cleaning. Because without the cleaning, people could also get sick with all the dust, the government workers weh got their vehicle the move round around deh time need to clean. Right now, I have house rent to pay; light bill to pay; food the run out. I mean dah nuh just me one the feel it but I just the say on my behalf. People the stop and actually ask me if I have job fi mek deh do and I can’t do it because I fraid fi mek deh bally come and charge me five thousand. It’s very rough bredda.”
The family declined to comment on the murder. They describe Drysdale as a hardworking, humble family man. They say that he didn’t have any connections to gangs in the town or beef with anyone. Drysdale’s friends don’t believe that he was the intended target. Reporting for News Five, I’m Andrea Polanco.
