“Extraordinary” Mom Fatally Shot in Drive-Thru Queue in Front of Her 11-YO Son | “She Was Bright in Every Way Possible”

"I’m broken that he now has to live through the trauma of his mom being killed in front of him," a friend wrote.

Cover Image Source: Facebook | Rachel King

By Suchitra B

April 14, 2023

Posted April 14, 2023

Trigger Warning: The following content contains mentions of gun violence, murder, and trauma, which may be distressing for some readers.

A Pennsylvania mother was gunned to death while she was in her car with her 11-year-old boy who was sitting in the backseat. Rachel King, 35, was shot around 7:39 a.m. on April 11, in a Dunkin' Donuts drive-thru queue in Cheltenham Township, outside of Philadelphia, according to the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office, when she was shot in what appeared to be a "targetted attack", per ABC News.

"This appears to be a targeted murder," Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said in a statement. The gunman "did not attempt to open the victim's vehicle door, nor did he appear to communicate with her prior to shooting her numerous times through her driver's side window."

Rachel King, 35, was in a Dunkin' drive-thru line in Cheltenham Township, gunman walked up to driver's side of King's car fired multiple shots through her window Tuesday, Montgomery County DA said. King was a 7th & 8th grade English teacher. Son in bkseat, not hurt.😭 pic.twitter.com/YsHycJOBJJ
— Sumner (@renmusb1) April 13, 2023

King taught seventh and eighth-grade English at Grover Cleveland Elementary School in Philadelphia, per PEOPLE. "She'd light up the room," King's brother, Allen King, shared of his late sister. "She was bright in every way possible, whether it was her shoes, her hair, her nails, her voice. And she was just a good person."

Mastery Charter Schools, where the mom worked for over 10 years, said in a statement, "We are devastated by the loss of an extraordinary teacher, who spent the last 10 years working with our students and their families."

A GoFundMe campaign set up to assist King's family with burial expenses describes her as "a devoted single mother, treasured teacher, and beloved sister and daughter". The campaign shares, "Her loss has left a deep void in the lives of her family, friends, colleagues, and students."

The family wants to honor King's legacy and keep it alive. "Donations made to this fund will help alleviate the financial burden on Rachel's family during this difficult time and ensure that Jalen has the continuing support he needs. Together, we will help keep Rachel's memory alive and honor the impact that she had on the lives of those around her," the campaign reads.

Ava Henry, a friend of King's, shared on Facebook that her "heart is absolutely shattered." She shared experiences that she remembered of Rachel, adding that she hopes that everyone tries to help out this family. "I’m broken that [her son] now has to live through the trauma of his mom being killed in front of him. My heart is broken, this world is broken," she wrote. "We know personally how expensive it is to honor a family member who’s been taken suddenly and too soon. We ask for love and prayers for this family as they now will know the same."