While performing in Manchester, England on Wednesday, Lady Antebellum‘s Hillary Scott and her husband, Chris Tyrrell led the band’s touring group in prayer following the deadly mass shooting at the country music festival in Las Vegas on Oct. 1.
“We just wanted to take a second to just formally, and just with unity, acknowledge what happened a couple of days ago, and how all of us here are dealing with it,” Scott said in an emotional video posted to the band’s official Instagram. “And we know people who were there and everybody on-stage, off-stage in Vegas, and being so far away from home.”
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Scott went on to say how they were “not going to live in fear.”
“This is a safe space because we’re all here together, and because not only have I and our family and so many people here — and so many people we don’t even know — have prayed for us before we got here,” she said. “If you all don’t mind just grabbing hands and let’s say a prayer. I’m going to let Chris do it because I’m not going to be able to get through it.”
In the video footage, the trio and their band can be seen holding hands as their drummer, Tyrrell prays for them and their fans’ safety.
“Oh Heavenly Father, pray over this building tonight Lord that, even in the parking lot, even as people pull up Lord, that they would feel a sense of peace,” Tyrrell said. “Even as they walk in these doors,” he said. “I know it’s not by accident that we get to be the representation of country music to this city on this night, and one of the first performances post-Vegas. We don’t take that lightly.”
Tyrrell also took a moment to honor the victims and those affected by the Manchester attack that took place this past May, killing 22 people and injuring 59 others at Ariana Grande’s concert at the Manchester Arena, the same venue they brought their You Look Good Tour.
“We feel the weight of that, and just ask that you would speak to people’s hearts and you’d continue to bring peace to those grieving over what happened here a few months ago,” he said. “We love you Lord and may you be honored and glorified and continue to have your hand on this entire touring group as we move through the rest of this tour. In your name we pray. Amen.”
The words, “Pray for Vegas” then flashed across the screen in bold white letters after the prayer concluded.
On Oct. 1, 64-year-old domestic terrorist Stephen Paddock opened fire on Route 91 Harvest festival concertgoers from his hotel suite at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.
In addition to killing 58 people and injuring 500 more, Paddock took his own life during exchanged gunfire with authorities.
Photo credit: Getty / John-Shearer
