Smiling' female postal worker, 48, is brutally shot and killed while delivering mail in Chicago as locals mourn 'mom of the neighborhood'

A postal worker who was considered 'the mother of nan neighborhood' has been fatally changeable successful Chicago. 

Octavia Redmond, 48, who brought joyousness to nan group connected her way pinch her lukewarm smile, was delivering message erstwhile an chartless gunman drove by and changeable her around noon connected Friday. 

According to Chicago Police, nan shooting occurred connected South Harvard Avenue successful nan South Side area.

Redmond was engaged delivering message connected her way erstwhile nan fishy pulled retired his limb and fired aggregate shots astatine her, earlier speeding distant down 121st Street.

Neighbors later claimed that they heard astatine slightest 10 gunshots ringing out.  

Authorities are still looking for nan chartless attacker, whose achromatic Dodge Durango was discovered torched connected Saturday.

At this time, Chicago constabulary are considering nan anticipation that nan beloved woman and grandma was targeted. 

According to Fox 32, sources acquainted pinch nan matter said that nan slayer trailed Redmond. 

They besides claimed that nan seasoned postal worker was discovered pinch each of her possessions, suggesting that nan onslaught was targeted and not a robbery.

Right earlier she was shot, Redmond delivered message to a resident of nan neighborhood.

Only a fewer seconds later, nan resident, who didn't wish to beryllium identified, said he heard astatine slightest 8 gunshots.

'I came to nan surviving room and looked retired of nan window. That's erstwhile I saw her laying connected nan ground. I'm like, that's nan postal worker,' he told Fox 32.

After nan attack, nan 48-year-old was rushed to Christ Hospital, wherever she later succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead.

People who unrecorded and activity successful nan vicinity were shocked by nan violence, which they opportunity is not characteristic of nan quiet area.

'I'm still looking for my greeting grin aliases my day smile,' Kim Sanders, who worked successful nan neighborhood, said.

'Now, I sewage to set to personification else,' she told ABC7.

'It can't beryllium true, not successful this area, not successful this block, because it's a batch of older people. And each of america cognize each other,' Sanders told ABC7.

'My bosom is shattered, because location was a bully lady. She'd conscionable travel up and down nan artifact and present nan mail, didn't fuss nobody,' nan heart-broken female continued. 

Residents connected Redmond's way remembered her arsenic ever having a grin connected her face.

'We each knew her... she was for illustration a mother to nan neighborhood,' Sanders said. 

'She'll walk up to me. She's like, "Have a bully day," sometimes. And she'll spot nan clients and sometimes springiness them a sucker aliases something,' she continued.

'She was a very, very bully message lady.'

On Friday night, a emblem hung astatine half-staff extracurricular a South Side national hallway to commemorate Redmond, whose hubby besides useful arsenic a message carrier.

In an effort to thief find nan personification responsible, nan U.S. Postal Inspection Service Chicago Division is offering a reward up to $250,000 for accusation starring to nan murderer's apprehension and conviction. 

'One of our own, a postal employee, we return it arsenic earnestly arsenic anything, because this is why we're here,' Spencer Block pinch nan U.S. Postal Inspection Service said astatine a property conference.

Elise Foster, nan Branch 11 President of nan National Letter Carriers Association (NALC), voiced her outrage pursuing nan shocking murder.

'I had nan opportunity to meet pinch [Redmond] and talk to her, she’s a awesome co-worker,' she told ABC7.

'Sister Redmond will not beryllium going location to her family and I person a problem pinch that.' 

Foster heaped further praise connected nan precocious message carrier, hailing her arsenic a 'great person.'

The NALC President besides indicated that greater efforts request to beryllium taken against those who target national employees, for illustration postal workers. 

'They need to beryllium prosecuting them. We are national employees. How situation you? And, you conscionable deliberation you tin get distant pinch it?'

Foster continued: 'My members are frightened to spell to work.'

'We are nether onslaught present successful Chicago.'