Family, friends, and members of the DeKalb County community are mourning the tragic deaths of 23-year-old Shakiya Pridgen and her unborn son following a deadly shooting early Tuesday morning at an apartment complex on Peppertree Circle in DeKalb County.
According to family members, the shooting happened shortly before 6 a.m. inside the Woods at Peppertree Apartments. Pridgen was asleep in bed with her two young children when multiple gunshots were fired through a bedroom window. Relatives said at least several rounds struck the apartment, hitting Pridgen as she lay in bed.
Emergency responders arrived and found the 23-year-old pregnant woman suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. She was rushed to a nearby hospital, but despite life-saving efforts, she was pronounced dead along with her unborn son. Family members said she was nine months pregnant and expected to give birth within days.
Loved ones said Pridgen had recently celebrated a baby shower for her unborn son, Kyren, and was excitedly preparing for his arrival. They described her as a devoted mother whose life centered around her children and family, and said the sudden violence has left them devastated and struggling to cope with the loss.
Her father told reporters she was a “loving, sweet, caring person with a good heart,” while other relatives said she had been looking forward to expanding her family and had made plans for her newborn just days before the tragedy.
The two surviving children, a 1-year-old boy and a 3-year-old girl, were also inside the apartment at the time of the shooting but were not physically harmed. Family members said the children are deeply traumatized and are now being cared for by relatives.
Authorities with the DeKalb County Police Department are investigating the shooting as a homicide. Detectives have not released information about a suspect or motive, but family members believe the attack may have been targeted.
As the investigation continues, loved ones say they are focused on seeking justice for Shakiya Pridgen and her unborn son while honoring her memory as a loving mother who was taken too soon.
