FANS STUNNED: Craig Melvin of Today PAUSES the Show to Make a BRAVE MOVE

Craig Melvin has admitted he felt “shaken” after interviewing a brave child who protected and prayed for his friends during this week’s tragic Minneapolis shooting.

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Two Catholic school students were killed and more than a dozen youngsters were wounded during a Back-To-School mass at Annunciation Church in the Minnesota city on Wednesday. The shooter, identified as 23-year-old Robin Westman, fired 116 rifle rounds through stained-glass windows while the children attended Mass, Minneapolis police Chief Brian O’Hara said.

Authorities revealed the shooter once attended the same school and was “obsessed” with the idea of killing children. On Thursday, survivor Javen Willis, 13, spoke to the Today Show, recalling some details of the incidents and describing how he helped his classmates stay calm.

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The 8th grader said many of his classmates initially thought the shots were fireworks and confetti going off, but he admitted he “knew something was off” right away. He said on the show, “Honestly, it was just at that point, I was like, I want to try to keep everybody as safe as possible.

Javen Millis appeared for an interview with his mom Melissa on the Today Show(Image: instagram/@todayshow)

“So I told me and my two buddies to get down and to get under the pew. And right when I told them that, it was like a state of shock for me and I knew that I had to try to keep as many people around me as I could safe.” Craig praised the teen for being so brave, before asking him what was going through his mind at that time.

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Javen, who was just baptized last week, admitted, “Right when it happened, I dropped down under the pew, like I said, and I prayed and I said my few prayers.

And then I realized like, I can’t just sit here and focus on myself knowing that, with God on my side I would be fine, so I had to just go and help out my fellow classmates to try and keep them calm and safe and let them know that it’ll be okay.”

His mom Melissa said that when she arrived at the church, the scene was “terrifying” before adding, “You just never think that this is going to be your reality.” She then revealed she felt relieved when she was reunited with her son.

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“I just cried. I just thanked God and cried and held him,” she said. “Thankfully, I was one of the ones who did get to see my kid when I got there.” During the broadcast, young Javen put his hand on his mom’s shoulder to comfort her, as an emotional Craig said, “Thank you.”

Craig was emotional during the interview(Image: instagram/@todayshow)

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Sharing a clip of the interview on Instagram, Craig wrote, “I am still shaken after hearing 8th grader Javen Willis share how he protected and prayed for his friends during the Minneapolis shooting that took two young lives during a Back-To-School mass at Annunciation Church. ‘I realized I can’t just sit here and focus on myself,’ he said.”

The broadcaster added, “As a parent, Melissa’s account of reuniting with her son hit me hard. No parent should have to live with that fear.” In the comment section, many people praised the brave boy for his reaction, with one saying, “This beautiful boy had to endure the unthinkable. His comforting his mom wrecked me.”

Another commented, “This kid had me in tears! Incredible job raising this kiddo mom! You can just see his compassion for others especially when he put his a around you to comfort you.” A third wrote, “So incredibly powerful. This young kid is so brave and his faith is so moving. I can’t even comprehend what he and his classmates went through.”

Many others also had words of support for Craig, as a person said, “Craig, this is why you are so good at what you do… you care about people. Thank you for allowing your sincerity to shine through in your profession. God bless you.” Someone else wrote, “Incredible interview, Craig. What an exemplary young man thinking of his classmates and comforting his Mother. Your strength getting through these tough interviews is astounding. Bravo.”