The founder of Golden Krust Caribbean Bakery and Grill feared federal agents would investigate him for evading millions in tax dollars, resulting in him killing himself.
Lowell Hawthorne was said to have been ‘acting funny’ and ‘talking to himself’ right before killing himself on Saturday night, according to family member’s telling to detective reported by the New York Post.
There is surveillance footage showing the beef patty businessman shooting himself in the head at the warehouse located in the Bronx, claimed the source.
Lowell Hawthorne, 57, shot himself inside the Morrisania, The Bronx factory of his Golden Krust Caribbean Bakery and Grill on Saturday night
According to a source who told police, the businessman had been ‘acting funny’ and ‘talking to himself’ right before shooting
Prior to the shooting, Hawthorne could be seen allegedly talking with two workers who left the room.
When they later returned to the office, their heads were crouched down when they later returned to the office, the source said to police.
He was worried that federal agents were going to investigate him for evading millions in tax dollars
The source said that the owner let a letter of apology to his family, dozens of which, were employed at the company.
His younger brother, Milton, 55, met police around 5.15 pm at the Golden Krust plant. He was responding to a call to police about an emotionally disturbed person armed with a gun.
The father-of-four was found with a single bullet wound in his head and gun nearby.
Lowell Hawthorne, 57, shot himself inside the Morrisania, The Bronx factory of his Golden Krust Caribbean Bakery and Grill on Saturday night, the New York Daily News reported.
Former employees of his told the Daily News that he was ‘humble and ‘good’ and were ‘shocked’ at hearing he had likely committed suicide.
Hawthorne died inside the Morrisania, The Bronx factory of Golden Krust Caribbean Bakery and Grill, of which he served as founder and CEO
Employees said they saw his car – a Tesla 85D – parked between two lanes.
Hawthorne emigrated to the United States from Jamaica and opened his first Golden Krust operation in 1989.
He and his family pooled money to open the modest store.
The operation sold Jamaican beef patties and it gradually evolved into a small fast-food empire.
Hawthorne started Golden Krust in 1989 and today there are more than 100 locations across the United States
There are now more than 100 Golden Krust establishments across the United States selling patties and other foodstuffs such as jerk chicken and plantains.
Golden Krust also produces tens of millions frozen patties to be sold in retail.
It is not clear who will take over the operation of Golden Krust.