Man charged in KC’s parking lot murder
-
The suspect Ricky Lee Allen Kerns Submitted photo
Victim Curtiss Kamau Brown
A Fredericksburg man has been charged with killing 25-year-old Curtiss Kamau Brown of Dumfries outside KC’s restaurant this weekend.
Police obtained warrants for 21-year-old Ricky Lee Allen Kerns on Tuesday and then searched his home, at 3716 Lee Village Circle, and arrested him, said Manassas police Sgt. Tim Neumann.
Police allege he shot and killed Brown early Sunday after a fight at the restaurant on Center Street. Kerns is charged with murder and use of a firearm in commission of a felony.
Word of his arrest came the morning after Brown’s family held a candlelight vigil in the restaurant parking lot where he was shot. He was remembered as a loving son, a faithful friend and a proud father-to-be.
“I just want there to be justice for my brother,” said Chionesu Brown, the victim’s 21-year-old brother. “It’s so sad that someone had to pick up a gun and shoot my brother, so sad.”
Witnesses said Brown was shot after a fight broke out in the parking lot, after a rap concert that was held inside the restaurant.
More than 50 people came to the vigil. Many of them wore shirts with the Brown’s name and his Aug. 14 birthdate printed on them, held candles, and lined up one by one to share memories of a man many said was “with God now.”
“Curtiss was so excited when he heard he was going to become a dad, he already had all of the baby names picked out and I had to tell him to ‘calm down’ and to ‘wait until we at least tell your family first,” said 24-year-old Meg Henshall, who is expected to give birth to Brown’s child in May.
Brown graduated from Forest Park High School in Dumfries in 2003 and was working at a moving company, friends said.
Brown came to the concert Saturday to promote the artist, who was also a friend.
The artist, 26-year-old “CK Ray” Baker of Woodbridge, said Brown was in good spirits the night he was shot and hugged everyone in the restaurant before he left.
On his way out, Baker said a fight broke out while Brown was in the parking lot. Baker said his he didn’t believe his friend was involved in the fight and said he “has no idea” what led to his death.
Brown’s mother, Deborah, said she misses her son but harbors no hatred for his killer. “If I saw the person who did this I couldn’t hate them, I probably wouldn’t say anything to them, but I certainly couldn’t hate them,” said Deborah Brown.
Four people were slain last year in Manassas, two more than the previous year, according to police records.
Brown’s alleged killer was held without bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 17.
Brown’s funeral will be held Monday at Holy Comforter-St. Cyprian Roman Catholic Church in Washington, at 11 a.m. A wake will be held for him at the church at 10 a.m.
Staff writer Uriah A. Kiser can be reached at 703-878-8065.
Advertisement
Reader Reactions
cristin. i feel you on everything stated.
p.s i have pictures of him washing my dishes! lol. check out my facebook. He actually washed my dishes the day he was shot. AND took out my trash! haha he cracked me up sumtimes.
I agree with mzwalker. This is ridiculous. I dated Curtiss about 4 or 5 years ago and remained friends with him until the day he passed. Please just let him rest in peace. The truth…about the person who did this and about “his baby”...will come out one day. We all miss and love Curt but only him, the person who did this and God know the truth right now.
To Ricky’s family and friends…I understand you want to beleive him but the reality is, you don’t know what happen that nite. People snap and do the unthinkable sometimes. And as much as it hurts you guys to have him locked up…at least he’s still alive…
And oh yeah…Curt was a great guy and did alot of things but washing dishes was not one of them.
Please stop. This…what ur saying is really effecting me. Ur making me feel like everything he told me was not tru. I just want positivity. I’m not a “drama” filled person. I dont have “4 kids” and if u feel as if u would like to address some of the things on ur mind then i’d be more than happy to show u pictures, and let u listen to voicemails. But this is not the place to do so. mzwalker is right let curt rest in peace. Celebrate the life he lived. Be strong for the Browns and urself. I do know who u are, and i’d really appriciate it if u’d just talk to me about this. Everyone has my phone number. Please with the kindness of your heart.. let it go. This is the last time i will even address this matter on this page. I feel it is not right and immature, so please do the same. Thank you.
look,lovecb23, how do you know he did it…everyone that was leaving the club that nite was on the scene. Does that mean they did it too???? please get your facts right….u should never wish that someone rotts in jail…what if the shoe was on the other foot???? we want the truth to come out 4 sure… but 4 u 2 say and act like that is beneath me so im not going to sink to your level…just remember we know ricky and we know what he is capable of doing and murder is NOT one of them.
All I want to say about this situation is that Curt would not want everyone to be going back and forth. Please allow him to rest in peace and we should celebrate his life to the fullest. I love you Curtiss.
Ladies, one of you I know and the other I am not sure of.
Meg, the truth will come out. You have kids and an unborn, you have to be healthy and strong for the child you carry.
LoveyouCurtiss, you just may have to let it be. The results will soon be here and he will RIP.
I know the both of you are hurting, but arguing right now isnt a good look. I will keep all parties involved in my prayers.
Meg, you don’t know me. When curt found out you were “pregnant” I was the first person he called. He kept saying, “I don’t know if its mine, but if it is, I’ll man up”. Stay at home dad? Duh- to live off you bc thats the kind of woman you are. YOu allow a man to live off you. Thats sad. clear ur dishes? u kno damn well curt never cleaned nobodys dishes stop lyin to ur self. Jealous? How could I be? Sweet heart, you have no idea who I am. The Brown family is anticipating the results…
i agree with skins4life, i was a co worker of ricky’s he was a reliable worker, he was never angry or violent. he was one of those people you could joke with and he always responded with a smile and a joke in return. this has come as a huge shock to our family of co workers, it has affected all of us in a million different ways. for me it has brought back the past when an incident hit my own family in a way that was unimagineable. i hope the truth is found. for mr. browns family i am deeply sorry, it is a horrible tragedy to lose a son, and father to be. i feel for the unborn child that will never know his/her “daddy”, and for the mother of that child. please dont judge ricky, leave that to god, for god is the only one that will know the “truth” or should i say reality of this horrible thing that has happened.
-Loveucurtiss
I know you are hurting, and loved curtiss as well. What u said was completly cold hearted and wrong. I know you dont know me so i cant really say much but just know this. I know who u are. Curtiss and i had a relationship that made us want to better ourselfs.He started going to school and looking up to better things in life…bc of eathother. We spent ALL OF OUR TIME togeather.He would come over at 5am just to eat breakfast with me…then come back over after work and clean my dishes… our relationship was rare. I understand if that hurts you. and i’m sorry you feel the way you do. You will continue to be in my prayers, i will ask God to help you sort out your angur and jealousy. I dont know you but Remeber that Curt spoke highly of the time he was with you. Thats where i gained my respect, I dont want a apology or an explanation as to why you made up such terrible things about me, but i do want you to be at peace. Walk outside and look up at the sky, look around and see the nature that God has given to us…smile. Let it go. I’m not someone to judge or hate and i’m not gunna start.
Believe that he loved u too. What i had with Curtiss was unknown to u and many others. We didnt mean to fall for eachother… it all happened so fast. but we did. and it was a beautiful and very satisfying feeling for both of us..
We are having a child, Curtiss told me how he wanted to be a stay at home dad while i worked.. he was that kinda guy. He was moving up higher and higher everyday. Dont bring us down with comments such as that.
Also 4 kids?...
Curtiss and i were not “in love” we were good friends who fell for eachother unintentionally. I’m sorry for your loss. If you’d like to talk please contact me. It may smooth over your misconstrued thoughts.
God Bless You.
Being a former manager and friend of Ricky’s, I would never in a million years think this of Ricky. He was always reliable, hardworking, and family-oriented as I am sure Curtiss was as well. However, I am not taking sides. I empathize with you and know what it is like to lose a loved one to murder. Almost 4 years ago, my close 15 year old cousin was murdered in Dale City. Closure comes nowhere close to describing the impact 4 years later. But I also know how it feels when a loved one has allegations brought against him or her and the feeling that you must protect family. We all do it. This is not the time and place to bicker and batter about whether someone is a girlfriend, whether someone is innocent or guilty, or whether someone knows how it feels to lose someone. For those of you who lost a loved one, this should be a time of remembering Curtiss and celebrating his life. For the Kerns family, standbys Ricky no matter what, whether guilty or innocent, we all make mistakes and sometimes they’ll drastically effect the lives of others. For others, don’t make assumptions without knowing all the facts or evidence. Let the court’s play their role and time will tell what happened and who pulled the trigger. God bless all of you and get through this together.
Advertisement