On September 14, 2024, at approximately 1:57 a.m., Toledo police officers were dispatched to the 300 block of North Detroit Avenue, near This Is It Drinks & BBQ, in response to reports of shots fired. Upon arrival, they found 28-year-old Isiah Pressley suffering from at least one gunshot wound. Pressley was immediately transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 2:04 a.m., about 30 minutes after arrival.
The incident occurred following a fight inside the This is It Bar. According to police reports, 27-year-old Kenan Lamont Smith picked up another man outside the bar after the altercation. Smith then drove around the block before parking his car outside the establishment. The man who Smith had picked up exited the vehicle armed with a semi-automatic pistol and fired into a crowd, striking Pressley in the face and killing him. Smith and the shooter then fled the scene in Smith's car.
On the afternoon of September 14, Toledo police arrested Kenan Lamont Smith in connection with the shooting. Smith, a Toledo resident, was charged with Murder Cause Death While Committing Attempting an F1 or F2 Violent Offense. He was booked into the Lucas County Jail and scheduled for arraignment on the following Monday.
The investigation continued, and on November 7, 2024, Toledo police arrested a second suspect in connection with the fatal shooting. Deontae Mitchell was taken into custody, joining Kenan Smith as a co-defendant in the case. Both Smith and Mitchell were subsequently indicted on multiple charges related to Pressley's death.
The Lucas County grand jury returned a 25-count indictment against both suspects. The charges included aggravated murder and felonious assault, with all counts accompanied by three-year gun specifications. These charges stemmed directly from the death of Isiah Pressley.
As of the latest reports, while two suspects have been arrested and indicted, the investigation remains ongoing. The Toledo Police Department continues to seek information from the public, encouraging anyone with knowledge of the incident to contact Crime Stoppers anonymously.
