A model who was eight months pregnant died after two gunmen opened fire on a parked car she was in with the child’s father in Washington DC.
Shortly thereafter, miraculously, her daughter was successfully delivered via emergency caesarean section, but she is in critical condition. The child’s father also survived the attack.
Samya Gill, 22, was in the front passenger seat of a parked sedan in Southeast DC around 11 a.m. Thursday when another car pulled over and two gunmen jumped out.
Between the two, they fired at least 14 shots at the car, hitting Gill and her child’s father, who was in the driver’s seat, but not the unborn child directly, police said.
Surveillance footage showed the gunmen fleeing in the car they arrived in. Gill’s vehicle also moved away from the scene, but only went a few blocks before it came to a stop. Rescuers then took both victims to a hospital, where Gill gave birth to their child but later died.
The two suspects fired at least 14 shots into the car around 11am on June 15 – 12 through the windshield and two through the driver’s side window
Gill’s baby (pictured) was successfully delivered via emergency c-section soon after but is in critical condition
Gill was in the car with her baby’s father when two men armed with guns fired a hail of bullets at them on Thursday, June 15
DC Deputy Police Chief Andre Wright described it as a “brazen attack” and suspected a target but could not identify a motive.
He also solicited information from witnesses that he believed could be crucial to solving the case and released surveillance footage of the two suspects exiting a white sedan and approaching Gill’s car, guns drawn.
“Although none of these groups of people are directly involved, we believe that something this heinous cannot be done and the community does not know about it,” he said during a news conference.
“This video was of excellent quality and as such I am confident that when it resonates with the community we will receive calls that will allow us to move this case forward and inevitably close it,” he said.
The shooting occurred in front of a McDonald’s on the 300 block of 37th Street SE, but the victim’s vehicle was traveling about a mile north to the 3900 block of Minnesota Avenue.
Photos from the crime scene show that the car Gill was in was riddled with bullets – at least twelve in the windshield and two in the driver’s side window.
Gill’s mother, who declined to be named, told ABC 7News her daughter is a model and recently ran her own online clothing boutique.
“I just think she was in the car.” [at the] Wrong place, wrong time,” she said. “I’m devastated, devastated of course. I’m lost, I’ve been everywhere.”
Stills from surveillance video of the attack show the suspects arriving in a white sedan. It is not clear if there was a driver
The picture shows the two suspects approaching Gill’s car and both shooting through the windshield
The two gunmen were reportedly armed with rifles, although their weapons are not visible in materials released by Washington police
DC Deputy Police Commissioner Andre Wright (right) said during a news conference that police believe witnesses and the community are key to solving the case
She confirmed that her granddaughter, whose name is Zailey, had a successful delivery and was in the hospital with her.
“She’s beautiful, I went to see her last night and she’s just beautiful,” she said of the baby. “I just really hope they catch whoever did this to my daughter,” she said.
She has also created a GoFundMe page to raise money to help deal with the financial burden of the shooting. She described her daughter’s death as the result of “senseless gun violence.”
In a tribute to Gill on Facebook, a relative described her as a shy and caring woman.
I can’t believe this happened to such a shy, quiet and caring young lady. Lord, please give my family the strength to get through this. RIP Samya we will be a part of your baby’s life and show her these crazy family videos,” they wrote.
DC police have offered a $25,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
Anyone with leads is asked to call police at 202-727-9099.