Heavy A DWTS champ had an emotional day.
Police say that a suspect opened fire at The Covenant School in Nashville on Monday, March 27, 2023, leaving three children and three adults dead. The suspect, who was shot and killed, has been identified as 28-year-old Audrey Hale from Nashville.
Several schools in the area were placed on lockdown, including the school where “Dancing With the Stars” champ Shawn Johnson’s kids go.
“I haven’t been able to catch my breath since reading the news and getting a call from our school that they were on lockdown as well given the news. Shaking. Crying. Heartbroken. Horrific,” Johnson wrote on her Instagram Stories after hearing about the shooting.
“Our babies are now home with us. I feel lucky and blessed but still so incredibly sad. No parent or family should ever have to deal with this,” she continued, adding, “I’ve seen childrens ambulances, countless police cars, buses of children being transported to safety, parents flying down the street laying on their horns, people sprinting in and out of churches and schools looking for their kids. Today has changed me.”
Here’s what you need to know:
Shawn Johnson Is ‘Praying’ for Those Affected by the Shootings
Johnson and her husband Andrew East live in Nashville with their two kids, daughter, Drew, and son, Jett. The school where the shooting happened was fairly close to where Johnson and East live. Children at The Covenant School ranged in age from 4 or 5-years-old to 12 or 13-years-old.
“So far, 3 children and 2 adults have died,” Johnson wrote on her Instagram Stories before the third adult was confirmed dead.
“Praying for the families whose baby won’t be coming home from school today and the families who have lost a piece of themselves. I also pray for the children and adults who may have witnessed, first hand, the heinous acts of violence inflicted today. Jesus, please be near,” she added.
Shawn Johnson Shared a Video of Herself Embracing Her 2 Kids With Tears Streaming Down Her Face
Johnson had a very emotional day and was sure to document some of those feelings and share her thoughts with her fans on social media. She shared a photo of school buses that were being escorted by police that her husband saw on the drive home from their kids’ school.
“These are all of the babies from the shooting being taken to safety. My mama heart is shattered you guys. You don’t ever fully recover from this. Thinking of these beautiful innocent babies, their families, the first responders, the teachers, everyone affected by todays heinous acts. Helicopters are still circling. The silence in Nashville is very loud right now,” she added
When East got home with the kids, Johnson picked both of them up and loved on them. “Can’t stop crying,” she captioned a video of her and her little ones on her Instagram Stories.
Her husband also shared a video of Johnson reuniting with daughter, Drew.
“We got notified of an active shooter in our neighborhood this morning. We rushed to school to pick up the kids. We found out the shooter was not at our kids school, but one right in the vicinity. Our family is safe, but can’t imagine what some other families are going through,” he captioned his post.
The three deceased children have been identified by police on Twitter as Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs and William Kinney, all of whom were 9-years-old.
READ NEXT: DWTS Champ Says ‘Goodbye’ as She Makes a Big Move