The victim has been identified as a Georgia State University senior.

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — After her son was gunned down while he was trying to protect children, a mother took off after the suspects, police said.

It happened early Thursday morning in DeKalb County.

Police said a was approached by three suspects near a car outside an apartment complex on Columbia and Rainbow drives in DeKalb County.

After some confrontation, several family members came outside to see what was going on and that’s when 24-year-old Jeremey Riley was shot several times. He was transferred to Grady Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

After the shooting, Riley’s mother chased the three suspects down I-20, said DeKalb County Police Sgt. Lynn Shuler.

"It appears that the mother got into her vehicle and attempted to get the vehicle tag," Shuler said. "Something happened on the highway and she hit a median wall."

The pursuit ended in a crash near the Gresham exit on I-20. No major injuries were reported.

Family members said Riley was a senior at Georgia State University.

"He was just a great dude, always smiling," said Riley's cousin, Darrius Brown. "I don't see how this happened to him at all, you know what I'm saying? He wasn't doing nothing but protecting his family."

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Police have not released a motive but relatives told 11Alive that the whole ordeal happened while small children were present.

"He put himself in the lion's den to protect his family," Brown said.

Riley died protecting those he loved, his family said.

"I want them folks to be found," Brown said. "I want justice, that's it."