18-Year-Old Girl Fatally Shot Outside Chicago Home After Spending Day With Mother

Gun violence continues to be a problem in Chicago and the latest victim is an innocent 18-year-old girl.

Identified as Melissa de la Garza, the teen was reportedly shot at least 7 times while she was sitting in a car outside her home in West Lawn/ West Elsdon area on Saturday, Sept. 25, per a report from Fox 32.

De la Garza had just arrived home at the time after spending the day with her mother.

The victim’s mother, Isabela de la Garza, said that both had just come home after buying costumes for Halloween.

"They went to buy Halloween costumes. They had a great day," Isabela stated.

According to the grandmother of the deceased, Melissa was shot at least seven times, ABC 7 reported.

"It is a nightmare," their grandmother, Clara de la Garza, said in Spanish. "Who is going to fill this hole? It's unbelievable how this city is being consumed by violence."

Officers were alerted about the incident by a nearby ShotSpotter, a gunshot detection system. They arrived at the scene just moments after Melissa’s father ran out to check on her.

“He saw my sister sitting in the car. He was screaming her name, and she wasn’t responding. My dad opened the door and just held her,” Isabel de la Garza said.

One of four siblings, Melissa had just graduated from Solorio Academy. She was reportedly one of the first young women to participate in the high school’s wrestling team and is also an artist. She loved to paint and was planning to work for a year even after she was admitted to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

So far, Chicago police have not taken anyone into custody. Authorities continue to look for possible suspects behind de la Garza’s death. Anyone with information that might lead to an arrest should call detectives at Area One.