Pregnant Woman And Unborn Child Killed In Home Shooting

The family of 23-year-old Shakiya Pridgen is grieving after she was fatally shot while sleeping in her home in Decatur, Georgia. Pridgen, who was nine months pregnant with a baby boy, died as a result of the shooting. Her unborn child also succumbed following the incident, according to People, 11Alive, and WSB-TV. Decatur police have arrested and charged Devin Anthony with murder in connection with the case.

Shakiya Pridgen shooting: What happened?

The tragic incident occurred on June 16. According to the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office, officers responded to a report of a shooting at a Decatur residence in the early morning hours of Tuesday and found Pridgen suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. She was transported to the hospital, where she and her unborn child were pronounced dead. Investigators believe approximately 11 shots were fired into the home from outside, 11Alive reported. Miraculously, two of her other children, who were sleeping nearby, were not injured, according to WSB-TV.

Pridgen’s mother, Verdina Scott, told WSB-TV on June 17 that Anthony, 26, was her daughter’s ex-boyfriend and the father of her unborn child. She is now calling for justice to be served.

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“I want the world to know that somebody took a blessing, a blessing from all of us,” she told the outlet during a press conference.

The family also believes the attack was intentional, alleging Anthony knew where Pridgen slept and that she was in bed with her two young children, ages 1 and 3, 11Alive noted. Police told People they could not confirm or deny those claims.

Court documents show Devin Anthony had a history of violence.

Devin Anthony has a documented history of violence and legal trouble. Court records show he was indicted by a Fulton County grand jury in September 2021 for murder in connection with a shooting death. He later accepted a negotiated plea under Georgia’s First Offender Act, which reduced the charge to manslaughter. He was sentenced to 20 years, with 11 months to serve and the remainder on probation. Notably, Anthony’s probation was revoked in February after he failed a drug test, WSB-TV noted.

Pridgen’s mother said he should have never been released given his violent past.

“He got a second chance. Shakiya doesn’t get a second chance. And he shouldn’t be allowed a third to do this to somebody else.”

A vigil was held for the loving mother.

Pridgen’s family spent the days following the tragedy making funeral arrangements for both her and her unborn child. They have also launched a GoFundMe to help cover expenses and held a vigil on June 20 to honor her life and share memories.

“I could depend on her for anything I needed for my kids,” one relative shared with 11Alive, who were at the scene of the emotional memorial.

Another told the outlet, “She was our Earth Angel, now she’s our guardian angel.”

Her father, Paco Pridgen, said he is still struggling to process the loss.

“I don’t know what to do, where to go. It’s like I want to wake up from a dream that I can’t wake up from.”

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