Security guard fatally shot at South Shore gas station after leaving from work at WGN-TV

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A security guard for WGN-TV was shot and killed Monday afternoon after she left work and stopped for gas in the South Shore neighborhood, according to the television station.

Salena Claybourne was inside her car around 3 p.m. in the 6700 block of South Jeffery Boulevard when a black car pulled up and someone inside opened fire, Chicago police said.

Her family said she was in uniform at the time of the shooting, and they believe she may have been the target of an attempted carjacking. They said she was just blocks from home at the time of the shooting.

Claybourne, 35, was struck in her shoulder and face and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead, police said.

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Claybourne's family in Alsip said they have tried for years to get her to leave the city because of the violence, and she was actually planning to move to another neighborhood at the end of March.

Her family is devastated by their loss and unable to make sense of how and why she died.

"My heart is breaking so. I don't know how I'll get through. I don't," said her mother Donna Marie Claybourne.

"All my favorite things, all things me and my mom had in common will now actually make me cry. They used to make me laugh," said her daughter Saiaan Claybourne.

At least two people of interest were being questioned, a police spokeswoman said Tuesday afternoon. No charges have been filed.

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Claybourne worked for Allied Universal Security and was posted at WGN-TV Studios, according to the station.

The station released a statement saying, "Salena was very friendly, thoughtful, hardworking and a member of the WGN family. Such a tragic loss; she will be greatly missed. Our thoughts are with her family at this difficult time."

Claybourne had just turned 35 last week and is the youngest of six siblings. She leaves behind two teenage daughters.

"It sent a shockwave through our whole family. There's no words or anything that anybody can say to console us right now because a piece of us is gone," said her sister Alexsia Claybourne.

South Shore has had 16 shootings so far this year through Saturday, according to police statistics. That's about 35% fewer than the same time last year, when there were 21 shootings, but still more than the 11 shootings reported in 2020.

The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report