The city of Decatur, Georgia, is mourning an unimaginable tragedy after 23-year-old Shakiya Pridgen, a loving mother of two who was nine months pregnant, was fatally shot inside her apartment in what family members believe was a targeted attack. The devastating incident occurred overnight at the Woods at Peppertree Apartments on Peppertree Circle in DeKalb County, leaving loved ones shattered and a community searching for answers.

According to relatives, Shakiya was resting in her bedroom when multiple gunshots suddenly tore through her apartment window. Family members revealed that at least eight rounds were fired into the home, striking the young mother while she lay in bed. Emergency responders rushed her to the hospital in hopes of saving her life and that of her unborn baby boy, who was expected to arrive next week. Tragically, neither survived.

What makes this heartbreaking loss even more painful is that Shakiya was preparing to welcome her third child in only a matter of days. Family members shared that she had recently celebrated her baby shower on Sunday, surrounded by love, excitement, and anticipation for the newest addition to the family.

Instead of preparing for joyful moments with a newborn, her loved ones are now grieving an unbearable loss. Shakiya leaves behind two young children who must now grow up without their mother, while relatives struggle to comprehend how someone so full of life and hope could be taken away so suddenly. Friends and loved ones described her as caring, devoted, and deeply committed to her children.

Authorities in DeKalb County are actively investigating the shooting as a homicide. Detectives are reviewing surveillance footage and ballistic evidence as they work to identify and locate the suspect responsible. Family members believe the attack was intentional and say they know who may be behind the violence.

As investigators continue their search for justice, the grief surrounding Shakiya Pridgen’s death remains overwhelming. A mother’s future was stolen, a baby boy never got the chance to take his first breath, and two children were left without the love and protection of their mother. The Decatur community now mourns a life tragically cut short far too soon.