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She was gunned down while protecting her child. She was pregnant.

"I cannot think of a more tragic circumstance than for an innocent young mother to be gunned down in front her residence while her young child looked on."

ATHENS, Ga. -- Auriel Callaway was standing outside an apartment building when a fight broke out Monday night.

Gunshots rang out.

Callaway tried to move her 3-year-old son to safety. 

She was struck by a bullet. 

Officers arrived to a "chaotic scene."  911 callers described it:

Callaway was taken to a hospital, but it was too late: she was pronounced dead. She was 24.

She was four months pregnant. 

Her unborn child also died.

"I cannot think of a more tragic circumstance than for an innocent young mother to be gunned down in front her residence while her young child looked on," said Athens-Clarke County Chief of Police Cleveland Spruill.

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'After I heard she's gone, everything else was nothing'

Vanessa Johnson, Callaway's cousin, said she hopes that Callaway's son Mason can forget the final moments of his mother's life.

"It has really been my prayer that God remove every remembrance that he could possibly have of that crime scene, because that could be very traumatic for him growing up," Johnson said.

Mason had sweet words for his mother while looking at family photos, Johnson said. 

"He said, 'I miss you mommy' and blew a kiss," Johnson said.

Johnson said she was sitting next to Callaway's mother when she heard about an arrest in the case.

"You could tell there was a huge sigh of relief," Johnson said. "It didn't erase the hurt of her daughter being gone, but it gave her a sense of, 'Somebody is being held accountable for what happened to my child."

READ MORE: 'She was a beautiful soul' | Pregnant mom who friends say died protecting her son was expecting baby girl 

An arrest but the search continues

On Thursday, police announced that 27-year-old Kiresa Cooper had been arrested in Callaway's murder. 

Cooper was arrested in Cobb County on July 24 and transported to the Athens-Clarke County Jail on felony murder and aggravated assault charges. More charges are expected to be filed.

In a Thursday afternoon news conference, police said they were continuing to look for others who were involved in the shooting that left Callaway dead.

"This reckless act took the life of a young mother in her prime, as well as her unborn child," Spruill said.

Spruill said it's believed that others had seen and possibly recorded the incident, which happened at the Clarke Gardens Apartments. 

Cooper had what the police chief described as "minor criminal history, but nothing serious."

The shooting is not believed to be gang-related, police said.

MORE: Family condemns violence that killed expectant Athens mom who was 'innocent bystander 

'Senseless'

Family members, including Callaway's uncle, Bryant Gant, joined police in asking for people with information to come forward. 

Gant, who is the Director of Player Programs at the University of Georgia, called for an end to "senseless" violence. 

"It hurts to see this environment turn into what it is," Gant said. "If we can start at home and just try to stop the violence at home, then maybe it'll trickle out throughout the country, throughout the nation." 

A memorial for Callaway is planned for Thursday evening at the apartment complex where the shooting occurred.

Even as their family grieves, Johnson said they're praying for the suspect's family.

"Two mothers have lost their daughters to gun violence," Johnson said. "At such young ages."

OTHER CRIME STORIES:

Gang members sentenced in 'the most horrific death' in recent county history

Sophie's Nightmare: How a Georgia mother allowed her boyfriend to impregnate her 10-year-old

Police: He took a cupcake. They beat him to death with a baseball bat. 

 A body, a burning truck and the Ghostface Gangsters: 4 convicted in Mableton murder

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