NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — People who live near the Covenant School watched the tragedy play out in front of their homes.

“We heard many shots just like really, really loud. The first about 8 or 10 shots were very loud. Yes very loud. And then there was some after that like almost it was a different gun, that wasn’t as loud. It’s very tragic. It really is,” Kathy Thoreson said.

Thoreson continued as she was getting emotional, “I am so sad for these parents and kids. It’s very tragic. It’s two blocks from our house.”

Another neighbor who lives across from the school could not believe what she came home to.

“Knowing that it happened pretty much right outside my front door. The first initial thought is that you hate to hear that this happens anywhere in the world, our country, especially this close to home,” Renee Blair said.

The mother-to-be had plans to send her future child to Covenant School one day.

“If I were to send my children to school when I have them one day, this is the closest one to my house so it’s been on our list. Again there are no proper words or sentences to form for the ugliest of situations that can occur in our world like this. I can’t imagine the feeling of the parents who dropped their kids off at school today,” Blair said.

Hurting for all of the parents and students, for what they went through and what they are still going through.

“To know that I have friends whose children go there, I don’t even have a proper sentence to form to take away their pain or their worry. It’s just the worst thing in the world,” Blair said emotionally.

Blair’s message to everyone is, “Just hug your loved ones, keep them close to you and never be afraid to tell them that you love them one more time or a million times.”