HERO MOM: Illinois mom hides baby in closet during home invasion then shoots repeat offender dead

A Joliet, Illinois mother fatally shot a home intruder on August 16 after a man broke into her residence. The mother brought her baby into a bedroom closet to hide before she opened fire on 36-year-old Shelby Hurd.

Per CBS News Chicago, Hurd was identified as the man shot at the scene by the Will County Coroner. Joliet police said that the unnamed woman heard someone break into her home in the 7000 block of Hadrian Drive and grabbed her gun and child and went to hide on the second floor.

When the suspect entered the bedroom, police said she opened fire, killing Hurd. The incident occurred at around 10:30 pm, and when officers arrived, they found signs of forced entry and an unresponsive man on the second floor with a gunshot wound to the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Hurd was not known to the victim and was wearing gloves and was in possession of a screwdriver at the time of the incident.

Per Shaw Local, Hurd was convicted of burglary in 2022 in Tinley Park and in 2023 in Frankfort. He also has convictions of burglary and identity theft in Cook County. He had been paroled from prison on February 24.

Joliet Police Sgt Dwayne English said, "The information we have, and the evidence found at scene indicates that Hurd was at the home to commit a burglary. What his motive was beyond that and why he chose this residence is still under investigation."

He added, "Preliminary investigation indicates the victim and her child hid in a bedroom closet, and she armed herself after hearing someone forcibly enter the home."