ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Family members are still seeking answers after their loved one, 21-year-old Tyrone Howard, was shot and killed last Sunday, September 7 — his baby girl was found alive in the back seat of his car.
He leaves behind two children - a one-year-old named Amira, and a baby on the way.
Howard’s fiancée, Makayla Graham, is almost 8 months along, with a baby Howard will never meet.
"He just blossomed into this beautiful young man, he was taken way too soon from a beautiful loving family," said Rossalyn Mims, Howard’s aunt.
Saturday afternoon – Howard’s family came together to speak about the kind of man he was, describing him as a devoted father, a caring son, and an entrepreneur with a bright future ahead.
"He was always respectful, never said a cross word to me, ever - unconscionable," said Michael Moncer, Howard’s family friend.
But Howard’s life was cut short by gun violence.
The St. Pete Police said they responded to a car that had crashed into a parked vehicle at Robco Transmission & Auto in St. Pete.
When officers arrived, they reportedly found Howard suffering from a gunshot wound, with his baby girl in the back seat.
"It was devastating, it was hurtful, it was painful - it’s not no phone call any parent should hear about their child or their loved one," said Melissa Jackson, Howard’s mom.
His family said he was on his way to celebrate his grandmother’s birthday at a dinner at his aunt’s house – but he never made it.
"He was driving down the road and he got shot in his left arm - the bullet pierced his heart and he began to bleed out," said Mims. "He tried to get away and crashed into a car - he wanted to keep his daughter safe."
Luckily, his baby girl came out unharmed.
But that was the last time Graham heard from her fiancé.
"He had dropped me off at work - told me he loved me," said Graham.
Now Howard’s family wants justice.
"The hardest part is that the person who did it is still out on the streets, that’s a problem," said Mims.
"Right now we have a family that when they gather for holidays, it's going to be a big hole," said Maress Scott, gun violence prevention advocate.
Scott lost his son to gun violence in 2019 and is now working to fight against it with an organization called Quis for Life.
"If you've seen something, say something," said Scott.
The family said that the detectives may have a lead, so Tampa Bay 28 followed up by calling the St. Pete Police Department. But since it’s the weekend, they weren’t able to provide an update on the case at this time.
His family has created a GoFundMe to help with the funeral expenses and to support his children.
The funeral service will be on Saturday, September 20 at 11 a.m. at the Mt. Zion Progressive Missionary Baptist Church (955 20th St S Saint Petersburg, FL 33712).
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