Highland Avenue shooting victim leaves behind pregnant girlfriend, three children

5/25/2018

Mourners gather together as Toledo Police investigate Kyle Newton's death that occurred in the early afternoon of Thursday, May 17, 2018, on Highland Avenue near North Detroit Avenue.

The Blade/Katie Rausch
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It’s been over a week since a central city man was fatally shot outside of his girlfriend’s home, and family are still searching for answers about what happened to the father of soon-to-be four.

Kyle Newton, known as “KJ,” 24, was found and pronounced dead in an alley in the 700 block of Highland Avenue, next to his home. Family say he was living there with his longtime girlfriend, Jasmine Grant, 24, who is pregnant with the couple’s fourth child.

His death was ruled a homicide by the Lucas County Coroner’s Office. He suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and abdomen.

“It’s hard,” KJ’s uncle, Terrance Newton said. “My heart just broke when I saw someone that close to me pass.”

WATCH: Captain Joe Heffernan of the Toledo Police Department describes the shooting

Ms. Grant wasn’t home when the shooting happened, but his children — two boys and a girl all 5 years old or younger — were inside the residence at the time of the shooting, KJ’s brother, Jayden Newton, 28, said. Ms. Grant arrived to the Highland Avenue home to a swarm of police cars and crime scene tape, family said.

Mr. Newton, who serves in the Army and is stationed in Hawaii, returned to Ohio on Sunday and has been assisting with funeral arrangements. He said his brother’s 5-year-old daughter is having a difficult time following the incident.

“She said, ‘I’m going to find out who did this.’ She’s 5,” Mr. Newton said, adding Ms. Grant and other family members are also having a difficult time coping.

Family members did not know a reason or motive of why KJ was shot last week.

Mr. Newton was sleeping when he received a phone call from his sister May 17. He ignored it the first time, but she called again.

“Something was like, ‘Pick the phone up,’” he recalled. “She couldn’t speak. Her friend had to tell me.”

That’s when he heard the words, from miles away. His brother had been fatally shot.

“It was my worst fear. I couldn’t even believe it,” he added. “I stopped for a second, I just remember shaking. It didn’t seem real at the time.”

Mr. Newton looked down at the picture on his phone. He smiled, remembering one of his favorite days with his brother.

When Mr. Newton was stationed in Florida, his brother came to visit.

“When I went to work, I told my job I had to take KJ to the airport. But instead, I took him to Universal Studios,” Mr. Newton said with a laugh. “It was a Tuesday afternoon, we rode all of the roller coasters, no one was in line at all.”

The brothers posed in front of a statue at the amusement park. It was the same statue they stood in front of years earlier during a family vacation.

Mr. Newton wants his brother to be remembered as a goofy, loving, family man.

“Out of all of my nephews, he was the only one to call me just to talk,” his uncle said. “Not that many of them do that.”

Last week, police had limited information on what happened and they continue to investigate.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Crime Stopper program at 419-255-1111. Callers may remain anonymous and could be eligible for a reward.

Contact Ryan Dunn at rdunn@theblade.com, 419-724-6095, or on Twitter @RDunnBlade.