Dionna Samuel

Dionna Samuel, 23, was working in the drive-thru window at a McDonald’s in East St. Louis when she was shot about 7:30 p.m. Monday by a gunman who then sped off. She was rushed to St. Louis University Hospital, where she died. The St. Louis medical examiner’s office identified the woman as Dionna Samuel, 23, of Belleville. A spokesman for the fast-food restaurant said Samuel was on a management track and worked there with her mother. East St. Louis Councilman Ryan Cason, who has been briefed by the police chief and others, said it appears she was an innocent bystander. “From my understanding, she was not the intended target,” Cason said. “She was working in one of the windows and the shooter shot through there, aiming at someone else.” Detectives with the Illinois State Police are helping East St. Louis with the investigation. “We have camera footage, we have very strong leads and this case should be tied up very soon,” Cason said. As of Wednesday, Trooper Shafer McKune of the Illinois State Police said no one has been arrested in either homicide there. Samuel's death was the second killing at the fast-food restaurant at 588 North 24th Street since May. The owner of the restaurant, Jimmy Williams, issued a statement that read in part, “The victim was a beloved member of our McDonald’s family, and we are heartbroken over this tragic loss to senseless gun violence.” A co-worker described Samuel as smart and lovable and someone who bonded with others. “She made sure everyone was doing their job the right way but also made sure everyone was comfortable and happy,” a cashier at McDonald’s, Chatyvia Franklin, said in an online fundraiser.