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Wednesday, July 01, 2009 5:08 PM Kenly native dies after drive-by shooting By Matt Shaw | Times Staff Writer Hundreds of people are expected to gather Thursday in Kenly to remember Drew Kirby, a victim of a drive-by shooter in Greenville. Grief has poured out for Kirby, 29, a pizza shop manager, and Edgar Landon Blackley, 21, an East Carolina University student, both of whom died after being shot around 2 a.m. Tuesday outside The Other Place, a downtown Greenville bar. By Wednesday, the bar had been turned into an informal memorial with flowers and handwritten notes honoring both victims. Online memorial sites pay tribute to two lives cut short. "It's a horrible thing to have happened, but it's been made a little easier by seeing so many people who were affected," said Ryan Kirby of Wilson, Drew's brother. "We have had so many visitors, phone calls, messages and prayers. ... Drew was loved by so many people." Greenville police were searching Wednesday for James Earl Richardson, 32, of Greenville, who is charged with two counts of murder. Shortly before 2 a.m. Tuesday, Richardson was arguing with bar patrons and employees inside The Other Place, a police spokesman said. He was escorted out, but he then allegedly drove by the club in a late-model, white BMW and shot at the front of the club. Kirby and Blackley, neither of whom had been involved in the earlier incident, were standing separately on the sidewalk when they were each hit in the upper body. Both were pronounced dead at Pitt County Memorial Hospital. Greenville police located the vehicle at 11 a.m. Wednesday. Police Chief William Anderson told downtown business owners Wednesday afternoon that an arrest was imminent, but it had not been reported by press time. Kirby was a manager at Michelangelo's Pizza, which is across the street from the crime scene. The pizzeria has been flooded with calls and drop-ins from customers who are in pain, said Brice Myers, a co-owner.
Kirby had worked for Myers and his partner, Jeff Deering, for nine years. "His work ethic was just unbelievable," Myers said. "He was one of the hardest workers that I have had in 20 years, really self-driven, and always polite, really just a great guy. "We really demand customer service be No. 1 -- it's got to be 'yes, sir,' 'yes, ma'am' -- and Kirby understood that. What we demanded of him, he demanded of employees." That trait had been with Drew Kirby since childhood, said Ryan Kirby, his older brother by 13 months. "I remember when we'd be barning tobacco, he'd always be challenging himself to do more. Work, he always attacked it," said Ryan Kirby, 30, a language arts teacher at Elm City Middle School. The son of Craig and Pam Kirby of Kenly, Drew Kirby graduated from North Johnston High School in 1998 and Pitt Community College in 2001. Ryan Kirby was attending East Carolina University then, and the two brothers roomed together. "We grew up in a rural area and had to entertain each other a lot," Ryan Kirby said. "We fought a lot as kids, but we became best friends. ... I feel so blessed for all the good times." Drew Kirby typically worked 12-hour shifts, leaving little time for a social life, his brother said. But he enjoyed boating and fishing and often spent free time on the Tar River. Drew hoped one day to have a wife and family, Ryan Kirby said. His family is still struggling to come to terms with Drew's death, his brother said. "He had such energy and warmth. He was always doing something," Ryan Kirby said. "My mother said that Drew got a lot of living out in his short time, and that's true." The memorial service celebrating Drew Kirby's life will be 7 p.m. Thursday at St. Mary's Free Will Baptist Church's Family Life Center, St. Mary's Church Road, Kenly. A visitation with the family will follow. mshaw@wilsontimes.com | 265-7878 |
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dec said...
My heart goes out to family and friends of this young man.This is such a tragic loss.God Bless you all ...
Friday, July 03, 2009 at 5:36 AM
Robert said...My heart goes out to family and friends of this young man.This is such a tragic loss.God Bless you all ...
Friday, July 03, 2009 at 5:36 AM
Downtown Greenville is rough and I just want to see how the new BW 3 in Wilson will be.
Friday, July 03, 2009 at 12:26 AM
I did not know him but knew of his father as he is in a gospel group. In fact, the photo looked familiar and it was not because I knew the boy, but he looks much like his father. It's always sad when things like this happen and horrible we have to live in a world where people do not value human life. I hope they find and put the ones away that snuffed out the innocent life. May God be with the Kirby's during this time.
Thursday, July 02, 2009 at 8:22 PM
Andrew was a dear friend of our families. Always a bright smile and positive attitude. He was a dear friend to all who knew him. This is such a tragic loss to the entire community. He will be dearly missed by everyone. Our heart aches for the Kirby's and their wonderful family. You are in our thoughts and prayers.
Thursday, July 02, 2009 at 4:30 PM
I don't know either the victims or their families,but my heart aches for them and my tears are flowing for them.
Thursday, July 02, 2009 at 2:13 PM
