A parking lot tragedy

DA says father who died of knife wounds may have accidentally stabbed himself outside Kowloon Restaurant

Initially, police thought Patrick Kenney, Jr. was a stabbing victim of a potential crime when he was found in the parking lot of Kowloon Restaurant last Saturday (Dec. 2) night, bleeding from an apparent knife wound. There were concerns about a suspicious death because of a Thanksgiving Eve fight that forced the owners to close the restaurant bar early. Four people have been charged in connection with that incident. But, as investigators viewed the scene, there were no apparent signs of foul play.

Kenney, 42, a Milton father of young twins, was rushed to Massachusetts General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

“This incident appears to be accidental, and no additional parties are believed to be involved,” said a press release issued this week by Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker’s Office. “It remains an active and ongoing investigation by the Essex County District Attorney’s Office State Police Detective Unit and detectives from the Saugus Police Department.”

Tucker’s office gave no further explanation of Kenney’s suspected accident, which occurred sometime before 9 p.m. last Saturday. Meanwhile, there have been media reports that said Kenney accidentally stabbed himself with a knife fastened to a lanyard around his neck.

“The DA has nothing new at this time to add and we cannot confirm the cause of death as it is still under investigation pending the OCME reports,” the DA’s Chief of Staff, Sharyn Lubas, said yesterday. Lubas was referring to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, which is reviewing evidence in the case before making an official ruling on the cause of death.