VIRGINIA, USA — Loved ones of a Newport News father, brother and uncle are remembering him for his caring and giving spirit.
Family members and friends gathered to pay tribute to Gregory James Smith, Jr. in his childhood neighborhood of Newsome Park in Newport News on Friday.
Virginia Beach police said Smith died after crashing into an Aden Park townhouse on Wednesday.
Police recently announced it has turned into a "possible homicide" investigation. They are trying to piece together the moments leading up to it.
RELATED | Car crash into Virginia Beach townhouse being investigated as possible homicide, police say
Investigators and neighbors 13News Now spoke with think the driver could have been shot before slamming into the townhome's bottom floor.
"It sounded like two pops: pap, pap," said a neighbor who wanted to remain anonymous.
He told 13News Now he heard those sounds Wednesday around 1 in the afternoon. Just moments before, he recounted seeing a man and woman get out of a white car and approach a gray car.
"At that point, I went to the table to put my mail from the living room to the kitchen. And then, bing, bing," the neighbor said.
After hearing the pops, the neighbor said he saw the white car peel off, "eeek and then the boom, I heard the boom right there."
That boom was from the gray car, colliding into the townhouse on Spring Court.
Virginia Beach police said first responders tried to rescue the man behind the wheel. They identified him Friday.
Smith appeared to be hurt from a believed gunshot wound, according to a news release. As first responders worked to save him, Virginia Beach police said the car caught fire; flames spread in the home.
Smith died before he could get to a hospital, police said.
On Friday, loved ones gathered to celebrate his life in Newsome Park in Newport News.
"I'm happy to see people come together in a peaceful way to show love for him because that's what he was. He was a peaceful, loving person," said Randi Peterson-Titus, Smith's sister.
"Rest in peace to my boy, great guy, positive energy. I just want to let him know we love him," said friend Curtis Jones.
"His whole mindset was to put his city on the map so that he could take people with him on his journey to success," Peterson-Titus said.
Peterson-Titus told 13News Now her brother was a philanthropist with his own clothing line, Gas Station 44.
"We're going to continue that for his son [Camryn], as well," said Peterson-Titus.