More than 100 remember 2 Blackman students killed, 3 injured in weekend crash at vigil

More than 100 people are gathered at Blackman High School in Murfreesboro on Sunday for a vigil in honor of several students involved in a serious crash this weekend

Blackman High School principal Dr. Leisa Justus led the vigil Sunday night in the school's gym.

"Tonight, students and parents and community, is about you. It's intended to be a setting to be together, to remind you that as you process this you don't have to do it alone," Justus said.

Grief counselors, school administration and local religious leaders were on hand to listen to anyone who needed to talk.

“As a high schooler you don’t really know how to navigate that, what to do with those emotions. It’s what we’re here for, to help them to have somebody to lean on and somebody to trust,” Danny Hardy said. Hardy is the character coach for Blackman Football and the youth pastor at New Vision Baptist Church in Murfreesboro.

Students and parents hugged and consoled each other, some with tears and some with laughter as the community mourns the loss of their own. They also wrote notes to the families affected by the crash. 

The investigation is still ongoing. The Blackman community has rallied around the families, organizing meal deliveries and beginning fundraising attempts. 

Few details have been released in connection with Saturday’s early morning crash. Two young people were killed and three more were injured.

More than 250 community members also gathered for a prayer vigil Saturday evening at Experience Community Church on Old Salem Road in Murfreesboro.

Johntae Adams, 16, was one of the two youths killed, according to his father, Theodore Adams.

“My son was just full of love and compassion for people,” Adams said Sunday. “We’re gonna miss him. We’re heartbroken.”

Johntae Adams was a member of the track and football teams at Blackman and was on a club cheer team. One of Adams’ older brothers was killed at the age of 18 three years ago. The family commemorated the event this past weekend before learning of Johntae Adams’ death.

“It’s a trying time for my family,” Theodore Adams said. “Our heart goes out and our prayers go out to [the other families].”