Heartbreaking Interview Of Teen Who Survived Florida School Shooting Tearfully Describing How Her Best Friend Was Fatally Shot Next To Her
Just a day after escaping a horrific shooting at her high school, a young survivor tearfully recounted the moment a gunman entered her classroom and shot her best friend, who did not survive.
On Wednesday afternoon, Samantha Grady and other students were in a Holocaust class when two shots were fired outside the door of their classroom in Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
After shooting two people in the hall, suspected gunman Nikolas Cruz entered the room and opened fire. Grady was wounded during the attack and her friend became one of at least 17 people who lost their life.
On Thursday morning, Grady spoke with Savannah Guthrie and Hota Kotb of the Today Show.
At the start of the interview, Grady was asked to give an update on her best friend
"Unfortunately, she didn't make it," Grady tearfully revealed when asked on the condition of her friend.
Grady then admirably pulled herself together and detailed the chilling moment she first realized a shooter was present
Grady said she heard two shots coming from the hallway and her friend immediately pushed her towards a bookshelf.
"There was a big bookshelf and we all kind of huddled there together. We clamped really close tightly together," Grady said.
Eventually, the gunman shot his way through the window of the locked classroom and entered.
Grady credited her friend for giving her the life-saving idea to use a book for protection.
"She was the one who gave me the idea. She helped me a lot," Grady said."The book kind of deterred some of the bullets so they didn't hit me so badly."
Although the shooting was extremely traumatic, Grady has been openly discussing her experience with her family in order to prevent nightmares
"My dad was really worried. It was etched all over his face. My mom, she was bawling. As you can imagine, it was pretty scary for both of them," Grady said.
Grady's strength and ability to describe the tragic events she witnessed did not go unnoticed
You can watch Samantha Grady's full interview below
