On a crowded Chicago street, in broad daylight, violence erupted without warning.

Three masked gunmen leapt from a vehicle and opened fire, unleashing more than 50 rounds into a car stopped in traffic. Inside were 26-year-old Gabryel Ayers, a 27-year-old man, and their 13-month-old daughter. The gunfire was relentless. Witnesses later described the sound as nonstop, echoing between buildings as cars screeched to a halt and pedestrians ran for cover.

Gabryel was struck repeatedly throughout her body. She did not survive.

The man in the car was also hit but lived. Their baby girl — seated just feet away amid the chaos — was not struck by a single bullet.

That detail alone has haunted investigators and the public alike.

The entire attack was captured on video, a grainy but devastating recording that shows just how quickly the ambush unfolded. The gunmen appear coordinated, moving with purpose, firing rapidly, then disappearing almost as fast as they arrived. Police have described the shooting as targeted, not random, though they have not publicly named any suspects.

For months, the case stalled. No arrests. No charges. Just a grieving family, a traumatized survivor, and a city left asking how something so brazen could happen on a busy street in plain view.

Now, new details are shedding light on what may have led up to that deadly moment.

According to investigators, authorities are reviewing a trail of social media activity that includes threats, online disputes, and warnings posted exactly one year before the shooting. Sources familiar with the case say the digital evidence suggests an ongoing conflict — one that escalated in public view but was never addressed before turning lethal.

Police have not confirmed who the posts were directed at or whether the individuals involved are directly tied to the shooting. However, detectives say the timing of the threats, combined with the nature of the ambush, has raised urgent questions about motive and premeditation.

The possibility that warning signs were visible — and overlooked — has only deepened the tragedy.

Gabryel Ayers is remembered by loved ones as a devoted mother and a vibrant presence, someone whose life revolved around her child. The image of her baby surviving untouched has become a painful symbol of both luck and loss — a reminder of what was taken and what was narrowly spared.

Despite the video evidence and the new digital leads, the case remains unsolved. Police continue to ask for the public’s help, urging anyone with information to come forward. Investigators believe someone knows who carried out the attack — and why.

Until that truth is uncovered, Gabryel’s killing remains another open wound in a city too familiar with gun violence. A mother is gone. A child will grow up without her. And a year after online warnings foreshadowed danger, justice has yet to arrive.