Family of a woman shot by her ex-boyfriend while working at a Nordstrom store off North Michigan Avenue say she was fatally shot on her 22nd birthday, before she could come home to a surprise birthday dinner after her Black Friday shift.
"It is the worst situation ever," a sister said. "Our sister came up to visit her in Chicago from Florida. We made dinner. We were supposed to have fun."
According to the Cook County medical examiner's office the woman, Nadia Ezaldein, was pronounced dead Saturday at 3:43 p.m.
Through heavy sobs, Ezaldein's sister said she was in shock that her sister died "so young."
"She's the smartest person I know," a sister, who asked not to be identified by name, said. "She didn't deserve to die."
Ezaldein's family said she and her relatives had been tormented by the gunman, the victim's ex-boyfriend, who sought her out Friday night before shooting her in the head and neck area about 8:30 p.m.
The gunman was identified by the Cook County medical examiner's office as Marcus Dee, 31, of an unknown address. Dee shot himself in the head and was pronounced dead at the scene about 10:25 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.
The 22-year-old woman had been on life support since the shooting, officials said.
Ezaldein began dating Dee in August 2012 after meeting him through her older sister's roommate, they said. Dee physically abused and beat the woman throughout the relationship, and in December 2013, threatened her by inserting a handgun into her mouth, the victim's family said. The incident resulted in a hospital visit and the victim ending the relationship.
In the year since, Dee had harassed both the woman and her family members by making threatening calls to her father and siblings, family members said. The victim changed her number three times as a result, they said.
Ezaldein also tried to request an order of protection but backed out of the request when Dee threatened to kill himself if she went through with it, family members said. Relatives said the woman was also hesitant to report abuse or harassment because Dee's parents were police officers.
"She thought his parents could cover it up," a sister said.
Law enforcement sources said Dee's parents are both Chicago police officers. A woman who answered the door at an address associated with Dee answered "no" when asked if Dee lived at that address. She declined further comment.
Neighbors said two police officers lived at that address.
According to court records, Dee had petitioned to have a temporary restraining order issued against a relative of the woman's for stalking. That petition was denied by a Cook County judge last April, court records show.
The day after Dee's petition was denied, the relative of the victim's petitioned for a restraining order against Dee but that, too, was denied, court records show.
The Elzaldein had been a student at the University of Chicago and was stressed because of her inability to afford tuition, which resulted in her taking the seasonal Nordstrom job, family members said.
Tribune reporter Rosemary Regina Sobol and Gregory Pratt contributed.