Kirk Patrick was perhaps one of the most outstanding players on the Pinelands basketball team of which he was a member for a number of years.On Friday, however, the 31-year-old, who was a life guard by profession, was gunned down near his Hilltop, Princess Avenue home in The Pine, St Michael.According to reports, Patrick was fatally shot just moments after he arrived home from work.Grieving family members told the Sunday Sun yesterday they were not aware of what transpired on the evening of the incident, but were awaiting answers from the police.The mother of the dead man, who would give her name as Sonia, said her son was one of the most outstanding players on the Pinelands basketball team.“I live my life for Kirk . . . he lived his life for basketball,” she said sadly.Pinelands’ coach, Ronaldo Maughn, described Patrick as a fantastic player who knew “every position” on the court. He said the last time he saw him was at the first of the two best-of-three series in Premier League basketball.“That was the last I spoke to the man. I did not see him after that. He was a fantastic shooter, he made a lot of sport. He was a fun person to be around, ask anybody. Everybody loved Kirk. I treated him like he was my son,” said Maughn.A minute’s silence was to be observed for Patrick during the Champion of Champions game between League Champions Station Hill Cavaliers and Knockout Champions Combined Schools Tridents, at the Barbados Community College (BCC) last night.A spokesperson for the Barbados Amateur Basketball Association (BABA) said a condolence book would be placed at the BCC and at all of the games until the funeral service. There will be no basketball game on the day of the funeral.BABA president Carlos Moore yesterday extended condolences on behalf of the association to the family and friends of Patrick.He said Patrick was “a true sportsman loved and respected by all, whose presence will truly be missed by the entire basketball community”.
