In a preschool classroom in Shreveport, Louisiana, USA, every morning starts the same way. A teacher gathered her young students in a circle and encouraged them to talk, laugh, and notice who among their friends was missing. The routine took on painful meaning in the wake of Monday’s mass shooting in Louisiana that killed Braylon Snow, one of those shot and killed on Sunday.
A mass shooting in Louisiana left eight children aged 1 to 14 dead in what authorities said was a suspected domestic incident.
The Associated Press quoted Shreveport police spokesman Chris Bordelon as saying that the gunman allegedly opened fire at different homes early Sunday and was later killed during a chase in which police fired on the suspect.
ALSO READ | 8 children killed in mass shooting in Louisiana, gunman killed
This tragedy has left not just families, but entire classrooms dealing with an unexplainable loss, especially for children so young.
The teacher put it together
In the Hall classroom at Johnnie L. Cochran Head Start, students were immediately absent. Children are taught to notice when someone is missing and to warmly welcome them back the next day.
“When they come back tomorrow, we can tell them, ‘Hey, we missed you and we’re glad you’re back,'” she told them.
But this time, there is no going back. Hall found himself unable to share this reality.
She described Braylon as a “cool little guy” and tried to get on with the day. But what happened weighed heavily on her.
“I’m no good to my kids right now because I just feel like I need to be silent and pray,” she said, explaining her reasons for leaving early.
Just days before the tragedy, classrooms were filled with common milestones of early learning. Preparations for next month’s graduation are well underway, with children practicing songs and looking forward to donning their caps and gowns.
Hall even wrote a song for the ceremony
Braylon was making steady progress, she recalled. He started writing his first and last name and became more independent in small but meaningful ways.
“Braylon won’t cause me any problems,” she told his mother during a recent school break.
He would gently wave to the teacher every day. Although he was often reserved, he found joy in playing – running around, playing hide-and-seek, and, as Hall fondly recalled, engaging in “a little bit of wrestling.”
“Most of the time, he was a quiet little soul in the classroom,” she said. “When he does get a little extra energy or something, it’s just nice to see him smile and laugh.”
After church on Sunday, Hall learned the news of the shooting and learned the truth about the tragedy. At first, its size was difficult to handle. Then she realized one of her own students was among the victims.
“I broke down and started crying,” she said.
The grief continued into Monday morning. At school, even brief eye contact with a parent can be enough to cause emotions to well up.
“I was immediately devastated,” she said. A parent and a teaching assistant had the same reaction.
Keeping faith despite grief
For Hall, the days ahead are all about coping and finding strength. As a church organist and pianist, her faith became her anchor during this time.
She prays not only for the missing children and their families, but also for educators like herself who are dealing with this tragedy while continuing to care for others.
“I just pray for all the educators that are connected to these kids because this is hard because my parents’ kids, they become my kids. I treat them like my own kids. So I’m really praying that he supports all of us during this time.
In a classroom built on small routines and shared moments, losing a child leaves a silence that is difficult to fill with words.
(With input from The Associated Press)
