Anne Arundel County police are investigating the killing of a taxi cab driver who was found in the driveway of a Crownsville day care early Wednesday morning.
Police were called to an unoccupied taxi minivan around 6 a.m. in the area of Honeysuckle Lane near Generals Highway. Police said a 911 caller, identified by 11 News as Robert Musselman, said the vehicle appeared suspicious and the meter was running.
"The cab was there. I blew the horn, and nobody came out of it," said Musselman, who knew there was something odd about an empty cab sitting with the engine running in his driveway. "When nobody was in the cab, I didn't know where they were at, so I backed off and called 911. The cops came, and that's when they opened the van up and saw all the blood."
Officers said they found blood and signs of a struggle inside the taxi, so they checked the area on foot and found a man who had died about a quarter of a mile away in a driveway of a nearby day care, which was closed at the time.
"It's a very long driveway, and he was halfway in between the business and the roadway there," said police Lt. T.J. Smith.
Police identified the man as Benjamin Delano Kirby Jr. 41, of Annapolis, and said he had been shot in the upper body.
Annapolis Alderman Kenneth Kirby is the victim's cousin.
"He's a part of our family, and it's a tragic loss for us," the alderman said.
Benjamin Kirby had worked for ABC Green Taxi out of Annapolis for about a year. A manager told 11 News that the victim owned the cab and worked on a subcontract basis.
He said Benjamin Kirby's last call was to pick up a customer at a Burger King at around 12:30 a.m. Wednesday and drive that person to a location on Honeysuckle Lane.
"Right now, we don't know if this was a targeted incident. We don't know if this was a robbery, so we're seeking the community's input," Smith said.
"The family's bereaving. There are lots of details out there that police haven't shared with the family. The investigation is so early. It's very tragic to every member of this family right now," Kenneth Kirby said.
Homicide detectives are still trying to figure out who may have been involved. Police said they're still looking at the possibility of surveillance cameras in the area.
Anyone with information regarding the investigation is asked to call police at 410-222-3566
410-222-3566.
410-222-3566.
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