On Thursday in the 300 block of 37th Street in Washington DC, two men carrying assault rifles opened fire at a car on a crowded street resulting in the death of the passenger, Samya Gill. Gill was eight months pregnant. Doctors fortunately were able to perform an emergency C-section at the hospital and deliver a baby girl before Gill passed away. The baby is currently in a critical state.
Gill’s mother spoke to a local news station, where she shared her love for her granddaughter, saying she is “beautiful” and “gorgeous”. She also expressed her hope that the authorities would be able to find the perpetrators. A fundraising website was set up to support the costs of the newborn, due to be born in a few weeks.
The driver of the car involved in the shooting has suffered non-life-threatening wounds, as reported by the police.
At a news conference, Metropolitan Police Department Assistant Chief Andre Wright referred to the shooting as a heinous act and pleaded for those who committed the crime and those who witnessed it to come forward. He noted that the attackers were bold and that the community must know something about the incident.
Surveillance footage showed two men, one wearing a white hoodie and dark pants and the other wearing all dark clothing, getting out of a white four-door sedan and shooting into the other vehicle before running away. The victim’s car went about a mile before stopping in a crowded commercial area.
The police department has put forward a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrators. While it is still unknown if the victims were acquainted with their attackers, police have stated that the incident was isolated and targeted. Wright commented that the assailants drove into the block, passed by people in the area, and then proceeded to fire into the car.