Anne Arundel family mourns death of father beaten after incident at child's school: 'A friend to everybody'

BALTIMORE -- An Anne Arundel County father was beaten to death last week in front of his home, all after a confrontation started at his child's school.

Christopher Wright, 43, was allegedly attacked last Friday by three or four men who were described as men in their mid-20s to mid-30s, investigators said.

Police said the men went to Wright's home on Arundel Road West in Brooklyn Friday after an earlier confrontation that involved one of his children at Brooklyn Park Middle School.

Wright's family told WJZ he was beaten as retaliation for the earlier incident.

Wright died at the hospital the next day.

Tracy Karopchinsky told WJZ she had been with Wright for 5 years, and engaged for eight.

She said "the world lost a light" when Wright died.

Karopchinsky told WJZ that she and Wright started off as co-workers.

But their relationship soon turned into something more.

"One Friday, the next Friday, he asked, can we have a beer together after work? I said well if it's Friday, I guess if I'm drinking a beer and you're drinking a beer, we'll have a beer together, and we've been together ever since," Karopchinsky said.

Karopchinsky said they grew a family together and always talked about getting married.

"Chris wanted a big, beautiful church wedding with everybody there," she said. "And I was the type of person like, well we've never been to Vegas. I thought we had time."

Their time was cut short after officers found Wright severely beaten outside of his home.

Tevin Wright, Wright's youngest son, said his dad really took care of them.

"She would usually be at work and like he would be the one person to take care of us every weekday," Tevin said. "I would get home and I would see him, which would make me smile."

A lasting legacy of Wright is flowers at the home. Karopchinsky said he had quite the green thumb.

But more so, he had a big heart.

"He was a friend to everybody," Karopchinsky said. "I mean, just the outpour we've been getting from friends and just, they're really, really gonna miss out on somebody with a really big heart. He loved beyond."

There are plans to have a vigil for Wright this week.

But it's still being finalized.

Detectives from the Homicide Unit are actively investigating the incident and ask that anyone with information contact them at (410) 222-4731 or the Anne Arundel County Police Tip Line at (410) 222-4700.