Nationwide —Â Shakiya Pridgen, a 23-year-old African American mother of 2 from DeKalb County, Georgia, was shot and killed in her apartment early Tuesday while pregnant. Her unborn child also died, and police later arrested a suspect in connection with the case.
Family members said Pridgen was asleep in bed with her two young children, a 1-year-old boy and a 3-year-old girl, when shots were fired through the bedroom window just before 6 a.m. They said the attack appeared targeted and planned, suggesting the shooter knew her routine and the layout of her bedroom.
According to 11Alive, DeKalb County Police responded to the apartment complex on Peppertree Circle shortly after the shooting. Officers found a pregnant woman with multiple gunshot wounds and rushed her to a hospital, where she and her unborn child were later pronounced dead.
Relatives said Pridgen had just celebrated a baby shower over the weekend for her unborn son, Kyren. Her mother, Verdina Scott, described her as a loving parent and called for justice as the family grieves the loss. The two surviving children, a 1-year-old boy and a 3-year-old girl, are now without their mother and remain in shock, according to family members.
Authorities later arrested 26-year-old Devin Anthony with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service. He was located at a residence in Riverdale and taken into custody.
Police said Anthony faces charges including murder, feticide, and aggravated assault with intent to murder. He is currently being held without bond.
Family members said they believe Anthony is the father of the unborn child.