CHICAGO – A 31-year-old mother was shot and killed in Chicago shortly after dropping her son off at school.

Two weeks later, her family is still searching for justice while preparing for what should have been a joyful moment — her son’s 7th birthday.

What we know:

Romeca Blackmon had just kissed her 6-year-old son goodbye and told him to have a great day in first grade.

Moments later, she was shot in the face during a fight outside his South Loop school. Now, her family is asking why the woman who pulled the trigger is still free.

Police scanner audio reveals a fight broke out, followed by reports of a woman seen with a gun.

The incident happened shortly after 9 a.m. Sept. 8 near Cermak Road and State Street. Blackmon was involved in a physical altercation with another woman.

Both women share a child with the same man, who was also at the scene. The confrontation escalated and turned deadly when the other woman pulled out a gun and opened fire.

Just before the shooting, Blackmon dropped off her son at school. Her final social media post was a photo of a handwritten note she packed in his lunchbox.

He turns 7 years old in a few days. Instead of planning a birthday party, his grandmother is now struggling to explain how his mother won’t be there to celebrate.

The other woman had filed protective orders against Blackmon dating back to December 2024 and as recently as this summer. The family believes those orders were an attempt to create a paper trail against Blackmon.

At the scene, a witness said the father of Blackmon’s child had her in a headlock. In video of the incident, the shooter claimed she had a concealed carry license.

Police took the woman into custody but later released her.

As for Blackmon, her family said she was unarmed and there was no reason to shoot her.

“You had an opportunity to walk away, to call the police, to turn around and get in your car and drive off. You did none of the above,” a family member said. 

What’s next:

FOX 32 Chicago reached out to the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office for the status of the case. The office released the following statement:

“After an initial review of the evidence presented by police, there is insufficient information to make a charging decision at this time. We will continue working with the Chicago Police Department as the investigation proceeds and remain committed to pursuing justice for everyone in our communities.” 

Blackmon’s mother said she called the state’s attorney’s office and so far, she hasn’t heard anything back.