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

A Missouri mother of five was fatally shot while buying slushies with two of her young children after gunfire erupted outside a gas station, leaving investigators searching for the shooter.

Shakeela Martin, 35, was killed just before midnight Tuesday outside a BP gas station at South Florissant and Woodstock roads in Ferguson after an altercation that began inside the convenience store spilled into the parking lot, according to the Ferguson Police Department.

Martin had stopped at the gas station with two of her children, ages 9 and 6, to buy frozen drinks on a hot summer night when multiple rounds of gunfire broke out outside, police said. Investigators believe Martin was an innocent bystander who was struck by gunfire as she walked back to her vehicle with the children.

"She was here to purchase some soft drinks for her young kids," Ferguson Police Chief Troy Doyle told First Alert 4. "They’re physically unhurt but obviously hurt emotionally. You can only imagine what a child would go through watching their mom being murdered in front of them."

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A second victim, an adult man, was also struck by gunfire and hospitalized in critical condition. Police have not said whether he was involved in the altercation or was the intended target.

Investigators said the confrontation began inside the gas station before spilling into the parking lot, where shots were fired. No arrests have been announced, and the investigation remains ongoing.

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Martin leaves behind five children and a grieving family that says she was on the verge of beginning a new chapter in life.

According to a GoFundMe campaign, Martin was preparing to move her family into a new home the day after she was killed. To celebrate, she had taken her children to the BP station for slushies before the family's plans were shattered by gunfire.

"Our hearts are shattered as we mourn the unimaginable loss of our beloved Shakeela Martin, who was taken from us far too soon at just 35 years old," the fundraiser states.

The campaign describes Martin as "a devoted mother to five beautiful children who were the center of her world" and says she did not have life insurance. Organizers said donations will help cover funeral and burial expenses, with any additional funds going toward the immediate needs of her children.

"We will forever cherish Shakeela’s memory and the love she gave so freely to everyone around her," the fundraiser site says.

The Ferguson Police Department is asking anyone with information about the shooting to contact investigators at 314-522-3100 or CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS.