Family believes pregnant teen shot and killed in her own home was targeted

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Police are investigating the death of a pregnant teenager after she was gunned down in her Arlington apartment on Monday night.

Action News Jax watched as officers collected evidence at the University Townhomes on Justina Road on Monday night and Tuesday morning.

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Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said that, around 8 p.m. on Monday, deputies were called to the apartments where they found a woman, later identified by family as Iyana McGraw, shot to death.

Neighbors told Action News Jax they heard close to 25 gunshots.

McGraw's family said she was due this Friday, and they had plans to drive from Atlanta to Jacksonville for the delivery. Instead, they came Tuesday to collect her belongings from her apartment and grieve her.

"What kind of feelings, I can't explain it," McGraw's mother said, choking back tears. She told us how she spoke with her daughter daily on the phone and this loss is indescribable.

We're not releasing any family member's names for safety reasons.

Related: Neighbors fed up with crime on Justina Road following shooting death of pregnant teen | Family: 19-year-old found shot to death in Arlington apartments was nine months pregnant

McGraw was expecting a baby girl.

"First baby, very excited," her aunt said, smiling. "We were here two weeks ago for the baby shower, and we were returning this Friday for her delivery."

Her family described the 19-year-old as a straight-A student, who spoke her mind and had a bubbly personality.

Iyana's mother said her daughter was eager to grow up. She had just been accepted to college.

Her family believed her death was the result of an ongoing dispute that did not involve her.

"Whatever they had going on, they should've left it between them, and allowed her to have her baby and go on with her life," the aunt said.

Instead, her life was cut short.

"You (the shooter) took her life away, and she didn't even get a chance to meet her baby," McGraw's mother said.

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