Chyemil Pierce: San Francisco Mom Hit By Stray Bullet During Gunfight, Dies Protecting Her Children


In a tragic incident, a young San Francisco mother lost her life while trying to protect her children during a gunfight. Chyemil Pierce, 30, mother of three children aged 7, 9 and 1, was hit by a stray bullet just outside her home in West Oakland on Monday and succumbed to her injuries a little later.

According to SFGate, the incident happened at around 4:45 p.m local time in the midst of a gunfight between two rival gangs. The death of Chyemil Pierce has taken the death toll of people killed in gunfights this year in San Francisco to 19. In fact, Pierce’s killing came just a week after a young father was gunned down outside his home in Oakland Hills.

According to reports, before being hit by the fatal bullet, Pierce shouted out to her children and told them to hide. The children ran around their house and managed to hide where they remained safe. Chyemil’s youngest child was not with her at the time of the gunfight.

According to ABC News, Chyemil Pierce who was a human resources employee at Kaiser Permanente parked her car near her home after picking up her two children. She was walking towards her home when a confrontation started between two groups a few blocks away. The report adds that the fight between the two groups involved women as well. Strangely, none of the people involved in the confrontation were seriously injured. Two people were reportedly injured but are expected to survive.

Meanwhile eyewitnesses to the incident say that at least 35 to 50 shots were fired in the incident. A contractor who was working inside Chyemil Pierce’s home at the time of the incident said;

“The shots were like, 35 to 50 shots.”

He added that there were more than one gun used in the gunfight.

“From the sound, it was one, then there was another in response.”

The contractor was the first to see Chyemil’s two children after the incident. According to him, both of them had managed to hide in separate places. The girl hid under a flight of starts while the boy covered himself by ducking. The contractor had also seen Chyemil lying injured. However, he made sure that her children did not see her mother’s body lying on the street.

The incident has left Chyemil’s family in a state of shock. Her sister Ashaunti Regis said.

“The family is in a state of shock. We never saw this coming. She does not come from a tragic background. She comes from a well-groomed family.”

Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf termed Pierces killing a “senseless tragedy”.

“Every life taken by senseless gun violence is a tragedy. Without a doubt, the families who have lost loved ones face the most immeasurable pain, but our city also suffers. We cannot flourish as a city under siege. We must come together to end the violence,” he said.

No arrests have been made so far in connection to the incident.

[Image Via SF Gate]

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