Homicide victim was a loving father, friends say

Levy Kasende, 22, was visiting his ex-girlfriend and their four-month-old daughter on Friday night when he was killed in what witnesses say was a drive-by shooting.

"It's indescribable. I can't imagine this happening to anybody," saidSarah Labib, the victim's ex-girlfriend, at the scene Saturday morning."Because this is his daughter's house, and how can you take someone away from their child, especially an infant?"

Multiple shotsrang out at 2676 Innes Roadat about 12:50 a.m. ET Saturday.

"He stepped outside, I didn't even know he was outside until someone came running in the house and saying he had been shot," Labib said.

Friends witnessed shooting

Labib's friend, Marisa Titus,said she wasoutside when an SUV pulled upand gunfire erupted.

"I saw this car pull up and all I heard was bang, bang, bang, bang. And everyone's duckingAfter that all I saw was the car pull out and drive away, and we went to go see what happened, who got shot. And we saw Levy laying in the bushes, gasping for air trying to breathe. Everyone's just freaking out."

Titus said shecalled 911, and a dispatcher asked her questions about Levy's condition.

"They were trying to tell me what to do to help himbut everyone was in such shock that I couldn't actually do anything. And just hearing his last breath of air was really freaky," she said. "I was too shocked. I was crying."

No arrests made as of early Saturday afternoon

Labib said she and Kasende had been together for about five years before they broke up about a year ago.

She said she's hoping anyone with information about the shooting will come forward.

"It means closure for me and for my daughter," Labib said."She's going to grow up now and she's never going to meet her father."

Titus said she feels sorry for Labib.

"They dated for a while, and every time he came here to see[his daughter]he was happy, with a smile on his face, like he would do anything for her," Titus said.

A police source told CBC News Kasende is known to police.

Ottawa police Staff Sgt. Bruce Pirt of the major crimes unit saidpolice had no one in custody early Saturday afternoon, andhe would not say if any suspects had yet been identified.

Kasende's death marksthe city's fifth homicide victim of the year. An autopsy is scheduled for Monday, Pirt said.

The investigation continues.