ANTIOCH, Tenn. (WKRN) — The family of Antonio King is speaking out Tuesday afternoon after a shooting at a SmileDirectClub warehouse Tuesday morning where King reportedly shot three employees before Metro Police investigators shot and killed him.
In a statement released to News 2, the family described King as “quiet, caring, fun loving, and hardworking” and that “the actions of this tragic event do not display the true character of Antonio.” The family said that Antonio’s mental illness and its severity was unknown by them.
“It is important for us as a community to be aware of how mental illness can manifest itself in our loved ones in friends. In the days that we live in where it is so easy to shame, belittle, berate, and criticize others without knowledge of how they struggle daily,” the family said in a statement.
The family offers their prayers and support to those impacted by the shooting and their families.
Read the full statement below:
To the Davidson, Antioch community
The heart of our family is broken at the news of the shooting at SmileDirectClub. For the families impacted by the shooting we cry and pray with you. For those who were injured and frightened by the event we empathize with you and pray for you. When we say we are praying for you, it is not a cliché, it is heartfelt.
Antonio King was a quiet, caring, fun loving, and hardworking young man, the actions of this tragic event do not display the true character of Antonio. The reality of his mental illness has taken us by surprise, unfortunately the signs of the severity of the illness were not evident to those of us who were with him daily. It is important for us as a community to be aware of how mental illness can manifest itself in our loved ones and friends. In the days that we live in where it is so easy to shame, belittle, berate, and criticize others without knowledge of how they struggle daily. We must find compassion and be starkly aware of the need for life giving intervention that builds each individual in our community.
Our deepest sympathies and prayers for the speedy recovery of those injured and everyone else who was involved, as we mourn the loss of Antonio.
From the family of Antonio D. King
