Doctors from Johns Hopkins had to make an emergency delivery of a pregnant mom's baby who was the victim of a Baltimore drive-by shooting on Thursday, May 12.
Angel Smith, 38, and her male companion did not survive their gunshot wounds two hours after the incident while the baby is still fighting for her life at the hospital. Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison said that the baby is in critical condition because she was born prematurely and not because she's wounded, per Fox Baltimore.
The pregnant mom and the man were sitting in a car on 23rd street when another vehicle drove by and open-fired on them. Witnesses said there were two men in the other car. One served as the driver and the other as the gunman but the police have not yet released any descriptions.
She Was a "Phenomenal Mother"
Christian, Smith's childhood friend, said that she was seven months pregnant who did not deserve what happened to her. He described her as a "phenomenal mother" who was previously told that she was going to have a son but following her emergency delivery, the family learned that she has a daughter.
Smith also leaves behind a one-year-old girl, Christian said. The man who was with her in the car was her fiancé and the father of the kids. Police have not released his identity, per Baltimore CBS Local.
I just spoke to family and friends of Angel, the pregnant woman killed. They say she was told baby was a boy but when delivered, the infant turned out to be a girl. They shared this picture with us of Angel. Both victims were engaged to each other, also had a 1yo child. 💔@wjz pic.twitter.com/jYcu7DdtmJ
— Mike Hellgren (@HellgrenWJZ) May 13, 2022
The violence in Baltimore has also prompted Mayor Brandon Scott to ask any witnesses to come come to the police and help with the investigations by calling 1-866-7LOCKUP or 410-396-2100. The mayor could not help but express his frustration during the press conference because the victims were a mother and her child.
The family of Smith's fiancé also expressed their anger because the man killed in the Baltimore drive-by shooting had a strong faith in God. They also said that his killers "hurt a child of God" in reference to his newborn girl.
Both families said that they are sick of the killings. Baltimore City has one of the highest crime rates in all of the U.S.
Phoenix Mom Dies in Drive-By Shooting While Protecting Her Son
Last Wednesday, May 4, a mother in Phoenix was also killed in a drive-by shooting. Martha Adrianna Alejo, 32, was standing in line outside of a shop when the shooters open-fired. She quickly shielded her 13-year-old son and was hit by the gunshots. She was brought to the hospital but did not survive.
The police do not think that Alejo was the target but she was the only person hit by the perpetrators. Witnesses said that there were people arguing in the line near Alejo. Later on, someone fired a gun and she automatically reached out for her son, who has not been hurt but is traumatized by what happened, per People.
Police Commander Warren Brewer has been asking witnesses to report any information about the incident. They may also provide anonymous tips via 480-948-6377.
