It’s common knowledge that most moms will do anything to protect their kids from harm. An Illinois mom recently proved how true that was during a home invasion. When a burglar, later identified as Shelby Hurd, broke into her home, the mom first made sure her baby was safe. Once she did that, she shot Hurd as he approached, killing him. Thankfully, her baby wasn’t harmed.
Joliet police officers responded to a report of a home invasion around 10:30 p.m. August 16, 2025. CBS News Chicago reported. When they arrived, they found signs of forced entry in the home. They went up to the second floor, where they found the unresponsive body of a man, who was later identified. Paramedics declared him dead on the scene from an apparent gunshot wound; he’d been shot in the head.
The mom and her baby were found in an adjacent bedroom, police said, and she had a handgun.
A preliminary investigation shows that the mom heard someone break into her home, WLS reported. After arming herself, she took her baby and hid in a bedroom closet. When the man entered that bedroom, she fired her gun, hitting him in the head.
At the time, the man was wearing gloves and carrying a screwdriver.
The Will County coroner later identified the man as 36-year-old Hurd, Joliet Patch reported. Police say the investigation is ongoing.
Hurd was on parole after being released from prison in February, Joliet Patch reported. He had served time for burglary and identity theft in Cook County. Additionally, he had other burglary charges from two 2022 incidents in Will County. He had previously served time for possession of a stolen vehicle, burglary to a vehicle, and being a felon in possession of a weapon in 2019.
