Mother of 7 shot dead in car with toddler inside

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - A woman was shot and killed inside a car with a toddler in the back seat Sunday night in DeKalb County.

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The family of that DeKalb County mother believes the killers were after someone else.

Shelbra Trimble is Tamika Trimble's mother. The God-fearing grandmother said based on the information she has gathered, the gunmen thought someone else was in the car.

DeKalb County Police officers were called to Terry Mill Road late Sunday night after at least two gunmen followed 33-year-old Trimble and opened fire on her.

Trimble's 18-year-old daughter said her mother did not have enemies and had not been in any disputes.

"My momma tended to her kids in the house. As far as being out in the streets and stuff. That wasn't her so I would have been more content if she died from a car accident or dying in her sleep or an illness, that would have satisfied me more," E'Daeshua Calhoun told FOX 5's Aungelique Proctor.

The Trimble family said the mother of seven was not the regular driver of the car that was targeted. The Trimble's said they have lots of vital information for detectives, who they claim have been slow to talk to them. The seven children range in age from 1 to 18 years old.

Resident Richard Jones said the rapid gunfire woke him up Sunday night.

"It was a big gun, you could hear the shots, it shook my house," Jones remarked.

Investigators said Trimble tried to flee from the gunmen, but they chased after her. She died at the scene.

Mr. Jones and other neighbors dialed 911 and tried to help. Several minutes later they discovered a sleeping child in the back seat.

"My first instinct, it was a teddy bear. It had the panda eyes at the top of the head... come to find out it was an infant. She was alive, the officer checked and she had no bullet holes," Mr. Jones said in amazement.

Responding officers called it a miracle that the small child wasn't hit by the hail of bullets fired at the car, some of which came extremely close to the girl.

Detectives removed the child from the scene. Officers said she'll be handed over to the Division of Family and Children Services until a relative can be found.

Investigators have no motive for the crime or a description of either the shooters or their car. They said it was not a domestic shooting. They believe the victim was targeted, but said she likely did not know her killers. Police said they are working leads on the case.

One of Ms. Trimble's friends said she had a heart of gold and would give you the last of anything you had. The woman also said the 33-year-old was a devoted mother.