Men Who Tried To Gain Access To Rygin King In Hospital Were Released, Police Say

As security concerns intensify for Rygin King, the prominent Montego Bay-based dancehall artiste was relocated to a private and secured medical facility last Thursday after a group of men appeared at the Falmouth Hospital in Trelawny, in search of the deejay.  King was wounded in a shooting late last month (June 28)

The details of the hospital incident were corroborated by the Falmouth Police, who stated that the men who made efforts to gain access to Rygin King while he was hospitalized were detained and later released.

The musician, whose real name is Matthew Smith, was among three who were shot in Westmoreland.  The shooting left his girlfriend, Sashalee Blackwood, of an Irwin Meadows address in St. James, dead.

Speaking with the  Jamaica Observer in an interview, a member of Rygin King’s team under the condition of anonymity stated while they appreciate the role of the media, they found it necessary to reduce the amount of public knowledge surrounding the deejay at this time.

“After Rygin was shot, someone leaked photos and videos of the artiste being wheeled in the operating room at Savanna-la-Mar Hospital. We understand and are aware of the media interest, but we thought that it was vital that Rygin was moved from Falmouth to a new, secure, undisclosed location for security reasons,” a member of the management team said.

“The artiste is not out of the woods yet; he still needs prayers. But the doctors have been very professional and they are doing all they can do to ensure that he makes a full and speedy recovery,” the individual continued.  

In 2018, Rygin King, 25, emerged as a formidable and talented force, snatching the title of one of the hottest newcomers in the entertainment and dancehall industry. 

The artiste has been very active, honing his own spotlight since his unforgettable performance at the 2018 staging of the popular reggae stage show, Reggae Sumfest held in Montego Bay, Jamaica, and has reduced a slew of hit songs since then including How Mi Grow, Tuff, and Things Go Change.