Family and friends on Thursday mourned the loss of a 34-year-old mother of five fatally shot by Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies who said she was pointing a gun at the father of her children.
A vigil was held at the Compton gas station where Mayra Conejo was shot Wednesday afternoon.
"She was a very good mom," said her cousin Mikla Hernandez. "She loved her kids."
Conejo's family have claimed the woman had been trying to protect her children at the time, and are demanding answers into why she was shot.
Deputies say they repeatedly ordered Conejo to drop the gun, but she did not.
They shot and killed her because they feared for the man's safety, officials said.
Conejo had fired at the man before deputies arrived, but the man was not hurt, deputies said.
