TOLEDO, Ohio — The family and friends of Issac Carpenter are trying to stop what they see as a negative narrative surrounding the 21-year-old's death last weekend.
"We need for the community to know that everything with gun violence in our community is not drug or gang-related," family friend Shawn Mahone Sr. said.
The family says Carpenter was not a gang member, and that he's an innocent victim of senseless gun violence. They say Carpenter was on Vance Street in central Toledo Saturday night to help his sister.
"The sister was involved in some domestic disputes," Mahone said. "Of course, him being the brother, he was coming to protect his sister. In the process of protecting his sister, he lost his life."
Mahone is no stranger to gun violence in Toledo. Earlier this year, Mahone's cousin, 7-month-old Desire Hughes, was shot and killed
Carpenter was found with multiple gunshot wounds inside his car and was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
"To have my son murdered while he sat in his car, just trying to protect his sister... It's not right at all," Carpenter's mother, Aviance Hill, said.
Hill says police questioned whom she believes killed her son, but that person wasn't arrested.
"Make amends to arrest the suspect that they had, because that's exactly who it is," Hill said. "The video shows that the Ring [doorbell] camera that, I don't know, 'disappeared' or was 'deleted.' That should be looked at."
Carpenter's mother also says Toledo police never contacted her about her son's death and that she found out through friends.
"Notify families," Hill demanded. "Because when I found out that my son was shot multiple times, I had no idea. All I got was a phone call from one of my sisters who said 'hey, they said on TV that Issac was shot multiple times.' What?"
Mahone says the biggest problem is that while the family makes funeral arrangements, Carpenter's killer still walks free.
"It's an accountability issue," Mahone said. "It's people that don't understand the value of life, and those are the individuals that need to be held accountable."
If you have any information that may help the investigation, you can call or text Crime Stoppers at 419-255-1111. You can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward.