The police tape and at least three stopped vehicles told little of the road rage incident investigators described. Something happened near the underpass involving several cars and at least a half dozen people. When it was over, a young man described by family members as 23-year-old Kenneth Wolridge lay dead of a gunshot wound.
"I believe the individual was standing outside one of the vehicles when he was struck," said John Parker with HPD homicide.
One family member says Wolridge was a passenger in an orange vehicle. Several witnesses stopped after the shooting and at least three vehicles will be dusted for finger prints.
Witnesses say the vehicles were travelling eastbound on Almeda-Genoa. The shooting took place near the center median and then the suspects' vehicle began travelling northbound on highway 288.
"There's no identities regarding the suspects at this point," said Parker.
Dazed family members stood around all morning waiting for some explanation. None wanted to speak on camera about Kenneth except for his uncle.
"Just because you seen an incident like this out here in our neighborhood, don't always assume the worst, that this was a bad person or whatever," said J.B. Adams, the victim's uncle. "Just the wrong place at the wrong time."
Why Wolridge was outside of his car remains unknown. But family members say he played baseball at Worthing high school years ago, had just earned his commercial driver's license and had begun a new job only two days ago.
The young man lived with his mother. His father drowned two years ago. And according to family, Wolridge had been trying to pull himself through a rough period in his life.
"He was a good kid," said Adams. "Lives close by. And the family is very close-knit."
Investigators say the shooter was driving a white Chevy Caprice. They're looking for it right now. They're also looking for two other cars that were involved.
