A mother of five was killed by her ex-boyfriend in a murder-suicide incident Saturday, with family members stating she died while trying to protect her children.

Xavier Harrison, 30, allegedly shot Danielle Rivera, 40, in front of her 16-year-old daughter outside an abandoned American Legion post in Cahokia Heights, Illinois, before taking his own life. Police confirmed the pair had been in a relationship, but Rivera's family maintains they were not dating and that Harrison had been harassing her for years.

Rivera's family believes she agreed to meet Harrison that night to shield her children and mother, who lived with her, from potential harm. "The only way I can best describe it is if she didn’t go and pick him up, then he would’ve probably gone to her residence, and there would’ve been a lot more harm and tragedy than what occurred in that car," Teresa Fiudo, a family member, told KSDK.

Rivera’s mother, Karen Rivera, echoed this sentiment, saying, "She basically put her life out there to save ours."

Rivera's 16-year-old daughter witnessed the shooting and subsequently called 911, according to Aubrey Rivera, Rivera's niece.

Court documents reviewed by KSDK indicate that Danielle Rivera had previously obtained an order of protection against Harrison in March, but it was dismissed weeks later in April. Additionally, another woman obtained an order of protection against Harrison last month, and a third woman had one against him in 2019.

According to Rivera's family, Harrison, of Belleville, Illinois, had previously threatened Rivera and her family members at their home, causing them to fear for their safety. They estimate that over the past few years, there were approximately 50 domestic violence calls logged against Harrison at two of Rivera's homes in Belleville, Illinois.

Details regarding the events that led Rivera and Harrison to be together before the shooting were not immediately available. The Cahokia Heights Police Department has been contacted for further information.

Family members described Rivera as the sole provider for her five children and her mother, working long 12-hour shifts to support them. "She loved her kids with her whole heart," Fiudo said. "There wasn’t anything she wouldn’t do for them."

Rivera's mother, Karen, is expected to help raise her daughter's five children.