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Woman Killed, Brother And Daughter Wounded In Joliet Shooting

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A young woman was shot and killed in front of her family Sunday night as they were driving through southwest suburban Joliet.

Joliet Police Deputy Chief Al Roechner said the shooting happened around 10:35 p.m. Sunday.

Dinesty Tillman, 23, was driving her younger brother home. They were heading north on Richards Street, and were turning east on Washington Street, when a gray car pulled up alongside them and someone opened fire, according to police and Tillman's family.

Dinesty was shot in the head. Her 22-year-old brother, Billy, was shot in the arm.

Vicki Reed, a family friend, was in the car in front of them at the time.

"I ran down this viaduct, I grabbed her, and she fell in my arms," she said.

Tillman's 4-year-old daughter, who was in the back seat, was injured by flying glass. Her 2-month-old old daughter also was in the back seat, but was not injured.

All four people were taken to Presence St. Joseph Medical Center, where Tillman was pronounced dead. Her brother was listed in fair condition, and her daughter who was injured was treated and released.

Tillman's grandmother, Brenda Fears, was more like a mother to her, having raised her since she was 3 months old. Fears said her granddaughter's last words to her brother, as he tried to stop the bleeding, was "get my kids to momma."

"So I would like to try to honor her wishes," she said.

Roechner said there is no reason to believe Tillman and her family would be targeted.

"Neither victim has any gang ties in the area. We have no record of that from either one of them,"

Fears said she believes her granddaughter was the victim of mistaken identity.

"They have never been in trouble, never been arrested, never done anything; grew up in the church," she said.

Roechner said anyone with information on the shooting should call Joliet police at (815) 724-3020.

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