Korryn Gaines’s five-year-old son was also shot in a limb during a stand-off with police at their home in Randallstown, Maryland.
Baltimore County Police said the boy was taken to hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries, and would not confirm whether he child was struck by a bullet fired by his mother or police.
Tributes were being paid to Ms Gaines from across the US on Tuesday, with her death being condemned by friends, relatives and supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement.
The race of the officers who shot the mother, who was black, have not been released but campaigners characterised the incident as a continuation of a series of controversial police shootings involving African Americans.
There was also suspicion over the reported deletion of Facebook videos posted by Ms Gaines during the stand-off and other social media posts.
A police spokesperson said three officers were executing an arrest warrant on Ms Gaines and a man at the same address on Monday morning.
He was wanted for assault, while Ms Gaines had had failed to appear in court over several traffic charges, including disorderly conduct and resisting arrest after being stopped by police last March.
After hearing a man and woman talking inside and the sound of a child crying, police obtained a key to the apartment from the landlord and opened the door to find Ms Gaines pointing a shotgun with one arm and holding her son in the other.
“The officers retreated to the hallway outside the apartment and called for additional support,” the spokesperson said.
“The male suspect ran from the apartment with a one-year-old boy - one of two children in in the apartment with the couple - and was apprehended by police.
“The armed woman remained inside with the five-year-old boy, and a barricade situation began at about 9.40am and continued throughout the afternoon.”
Police said the apartment building was evacuated as the stand-off continued for several hours with negotiators as Ms Gaines refused to surrender.
Independent.co.uk
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