Police responded around 8:50 a.m. to a report of shots fired in the 1200-block of North Mason Avenue in Chicago's Austin neighborhood.
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Brittany Hill was shot while talking to her boyfriend, her daughter's father, who was sitting in his car. Witnesses said a silver sedan pulled up next to her and someone got out and opened fire.
"All of a sudden, I hear all these gunshots ringing out. I see Jacob running and Brittany laying in the street," said Larry Jones, baby's great-grandfather.
Hill was holding her toddler in her arms and took cover to protect her, even after being shot several times.
"She moved toward the rear of a parked vehicle, fell to the ground and laid over her child to shield the 1-year-old baby from the gunfire," CPD Officer Michelle Tannehill said.
She got herself to West Suburban Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead at 9:25 a.m., police said. Hill also leaves behind a young son.
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Community activist and former mayoral candidate Ja'mal Green and Hill were friends who attended high school together.
"To see this hit home and to see this hit her is very, very discouraging," he said.
Tuesday afternoon police said they located the car driven by the gunman. They were looking for surveillance video to confirm the car was the one in the drive-by shooting.
Police said this was not a random act of violence. No arrests have been made.
The shooting follows a Memorial Day holiday weekend of violence that left five people dead and 33 more wounded in shootings across the city.
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RELATED: 38 shot, 5 fatally, in Chicago Memorial Day weekend gun violence
Mayor Lori Lightfoot once again reiterated her commitment to making Chicago safe Tuesday.
"I think we definitely made some progress in some areas. In other areas we clearly have more work to do," she said.
Some critics of the city's policing strategy of flooding targeted zones known for gun violence isn't working.
"It's time to get some proven leaders at the table so we can make sure that we reduce killings in Chicago," said Tio Hardiman.