Missouri mom of 5 fatally shot while buying slushies with children; police search for gunman

A Missouri parent of 5 was fatally changeable portion buying slushies with 2 of her young children aft gunfire erupted extracurricular a state station, leaving investigators searching for the shooter.

Shakeela Martin, 35, was killed conscionable earlier midnight Tuesday extracurricular a BP state presumption astatine South Florissant and Woodstock roads successful Ferguson aft an altercation that began wrong the convenience store spilled into the parking lot, according to the Ferguson Police Department.

Martin had stopped astatine the state presumption with 2 of her children, ages 9 and 6, to bargain frozen drinks connected a blistery summertime nighttime erstwhile aggregate rounds of gunfire broke retired outside, constabulary said. Investigators judge Martin was an guiltless bystander who was struck by gunfire arsenic she walked backmost to her conveyance with the children.

"She was present to acquisition immoderate brushed drinks for her young kids," Ferguson Police Chief Troy Doyle told First Alert 4. "They’re physically unhurt but evidently wounded emotionally. You tin lone ideate what a kid would spell done watching their ma being murdered successful beforehand of them."

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BP state presumption successful Ferguson, Missouri; Shakeela Martin. (Google Maps; GoFundMe)

A 2nd victim, an big man, was besides struck by gunfire and hospitalized successful captious condition. Police person not said whether helium was progressive successful the altercation oregon was the intended target.

A Google Earth representation shows the BP state presumption astatine the intersection of South Florissant and Woodstock roads successful Ferguson, Missouri, wherever constabulary accidental 35-year-old Shakeela Martin, a parent of five, was fatally changeable portion buying slushies with 2 of her children. Investigators are searching for the gunman. (Google Maps)

Investigators said the confrontation began wrong the state presumption earlier spilling into the parking lot, wherever shots were fired. No arrests person been announced, and the probe remains ongoing.

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Martin leaves down 5 children and a grieving household that says she was connected the verge of opening a caller section successful life.

According to a GoFundMe campaign, Martin was preparing to determination her household into a caller location the time aft she was killed. To celebrate, she had taken her children to the BP presumption for slushies earlier the family's plans were shattered by gunfire.

It is unclear what led to the shooting. (Stephen M. Katz/South Florida Sun-Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

"Our hearts are shattered arsenic we mourn the unimaginable nonaccomplishment of our beloved Shakeela Martin, who was taken from america acold excessively soon astatine conscionable 35 years old," the fundraiser states.

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The run describes Martin arsenic "a devoted parent to 5 beauteous children who were the halfway of her world" and says she did not person beingness insurance. Organizers said donations volition assistance screen ceremonial and burial expenses, with immoderate further funds going toward the contiguous needs of her children.

"We volition everlastingly cherish Shakeela’s representation and the emotion she gave truthful freely to everyone astir her," the fundraiser tract says.

The Ferguson Police Department is asking anyone with accusation astir the shooting to interaction investigators astatine 314-522-3100 oregon CrimeStoppers astatine 866-371-TIPS.