Kelsea Ballerini, Gloria Johnson refer to Knoxville's 2008 Central High School shooting

From the stage of the 2023 CMT Awards on April 2, country music star Kelsea Ballerini spoke of having witnessed the Aug. 21, 2008, shooting at Knoxville's Central High School when she was a student there.

From the floor of the Tennessee House of Representatives on April 6, state Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville, recalled seeing terrified students fleeing after the same school shooting when she was a teacher at Central.

This week's high-profile mentions of the 2008 school shooting in Knoxville came amid reaction to the March 27 Covenant School shooting in Nashville that left three children and three adult staffers dead - and debate over how to prevent mass shootings and keep schools safe.

One student killed in 2008 Central shooting

Just after 8 a.m. April 21, 2008, as students gathered in the cafeteria before the start of classes, a single shot struck sophomore Ryan McDonald in the chest, Knox News reported. The 15-year-old was pronounced dead less than an hour later at the University of Tennessee Medical Center.

Police found freshman Jamar B. Siler, 15, within minutes of the shooting, in possession of a small-caliber, semiautomatic pistol that police said was the one used. Students told their parents Siler pulled the gun from a backpack, shot McDonald and walked away. The school resource officer was doing paperwork nearby and rushed to the scene, as did a school security officer, according to Knox News reports.

Siler was charged with first-degree murder, and in 2011 was sentenced to 30 years for second-degree murder under a plea agreement.

Ballerini: 'I think I saw him take his last breath'

While co-hosting the 2023 CMT Awards this past weekend, Ballerini opened the awards show with an emotional plea for "real action" after the Covenant School shooting.

"The community of sorrow over this, and the 130 mass shootings in the U.S. this year alone, stretches from coast to coast," the Knoxville native said directly to the camera after naming all six victims from Covenant.

"I wanted to personally stand up here and share this moment because on Aug. 21, 2008, I watched Ryan McDonald, my 15-year-old classmate at Central High School, lose his life to a gun in our cafeteria," she said.

Ballerini in 2021 released a book of poetry she had written during the COVID-19 pandemic, titled “Feel Your Way Through,” that included description of the moment she saw McDonald gunned down in the Central cafeteria, Knox News reported in November 2021.

In “His Name was Ryan” she wrote, “His name was Ryan, and he died on the cafeteria floor From a gunshot wound to his chest I can’t be too sure, but I think I saw him Take his last breath We were both 15 That day, we went from strangers to lifelong friends I think about him often, who he could have been.”

The 2021 article noted Ballerini said she hadn't thought she would ever share that experience publicly before writing the book. She also said that years later she remained hyper-aware in large crowds and could be disturbed by loud noises.

Johnson: 'We don’t want gun battles at our schoolhouse door'

Johnson, the District 90 representative from Knoxville, referred to the Central shooting while speaking in the House in opposition to House Bill 332. The bill, which ultimately passed by a vote of 95-4, includes requirements that every school have a school resource officer and allows private schools to partner with local police for school security.

Recalling being at Central the day of the shooting in 2008, Johnson said security officers were at the school that day, but the fatal shooting had still occurred. "We need to keep the guns from getting to the school house door," Johnson said. “We don’t want gun battles at our schoolhouse door."

Johnson is one of the "Tennessee three" - along with fellow Democratic Reps. Justin Jones and Justin Pearson - who were facing expulsion from their House seats over their peaceful participation in a March 30 demonstration for gun reform that spilled over onto the House floor.

The House voted Thursday to expel Jones, but failed to expel Knoxville's Johnson in a 65-30 vote.

During the hearing on the resolution for her expulsion later in the April 6 legislative session, Johnson referred again to the day of the Central shooting, recalling students running into her classroom immediately after, and then "a rush of sirens."

Coverage of the Central shooting at the time did not refer to Johnson specifically, but other Knox News articles in 2008 referred to her as a teacher at Central. She taught at other local schools before announcing her retirement from teaching in 2015, after her first term in the House.

Johnson was first elected to the legislature in 2012 for District 13. After losing re-election to the seat in 2014 and 2016, she won again in 2018. After redistricting before the 2022 election, she won election to the newly created District 90.

Robin Gibson is people and trends editor. Email ragibson@gannett.com. Twitter @RobinGibsonTSP.

Devarrick Turner is a trending news reporter. Email devarrick.turner@knoxnews.com. Twitter @dturner1208.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Kelsea Ballerini, Gloria Johnson refer to 2008 Central High shooting