DECATUR, GA — Authorities have arrested a suspect in connection with the fatal shooting of a 23-year-old pregnant mother and her unborn child at a DeKalb County apartment complex early Tuesday morning.
The DeKalb County Sheriff's Office, in a joint operation with the U.S. Marshals Service, took 26-year-old Devin Anthony into custody Tuesday evening at a residence in the 1200 block of Quail Hunt Drive in Riverdale. Anthony, who is reportedly the father of the unborn child, has been charged with malice murder, feticide, and aggravated assault with intent to murder. He is currently being held without bond at the DeKalb County Jail.
The incident occurred just before 6:00 a.m. Tuesday at the Woods at Peppertree Apartments on Peppertree Circle in Decatur. Investigators state that Shakiya Pridgen, who was nine months pregnant, was in bed with her two young children, ages 1 and 3, when someone fired at least eight rounds through her apartment window. Pridgen and her unborn son were both fatally struck by the gunfire. Her two toddlers survived the attack.
.jpg)
Family members shared that Pridgen was preparing to welcome her third child next week and had just celebrated her baby shower last weekend. Relatives previously described the shooting as a targeted and premeditated act, noting they suspected Anthony's involvement prior to his arrest.
DeKalb County Sheriff Melody Maddox condemned the attack, praising investigators and federal partners for their swift action. Maddox stated that the senseless violence has devastated both the family and the community, noting that the rapid arrest was prioritized to ensure the safety of the victim’s surviving loved ones.