Moms have so much guilt about taking any time for themselves, but the truth is every single one of us needs it. That’s especially true for single mothers who bear the burdens of parenthood alone most of the time. Chicago mom Jessica Williams, 33, however, never thought her me-time would end in tragedy.
Williams was on a birthday trip to New Orleans when she was fatally shot on Bourbon Street by a stray bullet after an early morning street shoot-out took place, according to the New York Post. The mom was traveling with her younger siblings, mother, cousins, and others.
Her cousin Kardajia Wells told ABC 7 that the trip was supposed to be a fun and quick one. “That was the goal, to just celebrate her and my cousin who just graduated college, so we were going to celebrate the both of them,” Wells said. “On our way, leaving, two guys got into an altercation, and we’re not thinking that they’re going to pull out any weapons or any of that, because it’s a big crowd,” Wells told the outlet.
However, the fight quickly devolved into gun violence. New Orleans police said once the shooter pulled out the gun, he began firing “at random,” grazing one victim and striking three people, including Williams and her younger sister. Williams died at the scene. Her family is now grappling with the loss and how to take care of her two young children.
Sadly, no arrests have been made, though three people were reportedly taken in for questioning. Officials are on the hunt for a “heavyset” Black man wearing a black and white hoodie who they believe could be a person of interest, a police news release noted.
