John Legend holds surprise performance for survivors and victims’ families of Dayton shooting

Singer John Legend held a surprise performance Sunday night for survivors and victims’ families of the Dayton, Ohio, shooting that claimed nine lives last week.

Legend, an Ohio native, toured the area where the shooting took place just one week after the incident, stopping in various shops in the city’s Oregon District and visiting with families of shooting victims.

The award-winning artist was toured around the city by Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley (D). The two also held a press conference Sunday night.

{mosads}“Continue to support each other and be as loving and caring as we can with each other, and then I think we have to vote as if our lives depended on it because they really do.  We need to vote for politicians that will support gun safety measures,” Legend said, according to WHIO.

Legend told the news outlet growing up in close proximity to Dayton made the impact of the shooting especially felt. 

“I just wanted to support Dayton and this area,” Legend said. “I grew up in Springfield. We were all struck by this tragedy.”

He followed the press conference with a surprise performance of a few songs “to try to help bring comfort to some of the survivors of last week’s tragedy.”

“My heart breaks for everyone who lost someone,” Legend tweeted. “I love how everyone rallies around one another.”

I just played a few songs to try to help bring comfort to some of the survivors of last week’s tragedy in Dayton. My heart breaks for everyone who lost someone. I love how everyone rallies around one another during… https://t.co/MB91chIKqf

— John Legend (@johnlegend) August 11, 2019

A 24-year-old gunman early last Sunday morning opened fire outside crowded bars in Dayton, killing nine people and injuring several others before police shot and killed him at the scene.