The Great Smoky Mountain Journal

Staff, Wire Reports

Posted: Sunday, January 21, 2018 03:55 PM

Mother Of Two Among Dead In Antioch Church Shooting Over Weekend

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) - Family members remembered the woman killed in an Antioch church shooting as a witty and loving mother.

Melanie Crow Smith was shot and killed while walking to her car which was parked in the Burnette Chapel Church of Christ parking lot.

Police said she was the first victim of gunman Emanuel Samson. He's accused of then entering the church through a back door, opening fire, and hitting six people inside including the church's pastor and his wife.

Smith leaves behind two children, 19-year-old Breanna Smith and 12-year-old RJ Smith. Both talked with Nashville CBS affiliate WTVF about the loss.

"I still pray, I'll still pray for the rest of my life, knowing that my mom is still with me and that she's here," said RJ.

"It's been a really good experience with her and I hope she knows I love her. It's just really hard to speak too, it's something you never expect. I thought she'd live 'till she's 90 but things just don't go the way you expect it," RJ said.