A 'heroic' young mum died shielding her baby daughter as a gunman fired more than 12 bullets into her chest, arm and legs, it is reported. Brave Dawn Boyd, who had just turned 22, was visiting a pal when a car pulled up and bullets suddenly started flying at her and several others. Grabbing her 11-month-old daughter, she shielded the youngster's body with her own and was hit more than a dozen times, her family say. The gunshot wounds left her "crawling" and struggling to breathe. Dawn, one of four victims in the shooting in the US, was rushed to the hospital, where she fought for her life as doctors battled to save her. But after 'clinging to life' for more than 24 hours, she tragically died.
She had been shot in both legs, her left arm and her chest. Thanks to Dawn's 'heroism', her beloved child survived, her loved ones say. According to them, her "whole life revolved around her beautiful little girl".Speaking to the news station earlier this week, Dawn's dad, Stephen Boyd, said: "My granddaughter, thank God she’s still here. As my daughter tried to protect the kids, she lost her life, and we consider her as a hero.”Dawn was outside the house in West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with another woman and two men at the time of the shooting on Friday night. Her baby girl and another young child were also outside, witnesses said. Shortly before 9.30pm local time, a vehicle allegedly pulled up in front of the property in Haverford Avenue and a hail of bullets started flying. According to a police statement,, Dawn and the others were gathered outside the home when they were fired upon. Some reports say one gunman was involved in the deadly shooting, while others suggest there may have been multiple shooters. Emergency crews responded to the incident and Dawn was found critically injured. She was raced to the hospital, but her injuries were "just too severe".The other woman, 21, and two men, aged 24 and 35, were also hospitalised with injuries following the incident, according to local media. The younger man has sadly pronounced dead in hospital soon after. The older man, who was shot in the left arm, and the woman, who was hit in the upper right leg, are said to be in a stable condition. Dawn's daughter and the other child both escaped unharmed.
“She grabbed the two babies, her friend ran into the house and by the time she turned around my daughter was crawling, saying she couldn’t breathe," Dawn's mum, Michelle McDonnell, said,.Cops are now investigating the shooting, but have not yet released a description of the suspect or suspects, or the vehicle used. According to the police statement, "there are conflicting accounts as to the description of the suspect vehicle".Meanwhile, Dawn's grieving relatives have set up a GoFundMe page to help cover her funeral costs so she can be given a "proper burial".A post on the page, uploaded on Saturday, reads: "As some of you may know my sister was gunned down yesterday in the city of Philadelphia."She was shot over a dozen times, she fought for over 24 hours clinging to life because she is a fighter."The doctors worked to keep her alive but her injuries were just too severe and my sister took her last breath at 3:13 pm today."
It continues: "My family and I are in shock and disbelief, still trying to process the reality of this tragedy, my sister just turned 22 nine days ago and is leaving behind her 11-month-old daughter who turns 1 in 3 weeks and will now have to grow up without her mother."My sister was compassionate, loving, a good mother, friend, daughter. She had the most beautiful smile that made the whole room light up, she was always happy and her energy was contagious."The world has lost a beautiful soul today and heaven has gained an angel.""If any of you knew my sister her whole life revolved around her beautiful little girl. She fought every day to make sure her little girl was well taken care of. She wants to be a nurse.