Young children separated from parents during Lakewood church shooting

Houston – Parents who were separated from their children after the shooting left many panicking and running for cover have now been reunited.

Eyewitnesses say the band was warming up when gunfire broke out between services.

Lakewood Church has a daycare where parents can drop off their children. When the shooting happened, people ran for cover, unable to find their children, witnesses said.

SWAT officers and church staff escorted the children to the reunification area.

The children went out single file holding a rope.

It was a maddening sight for many parents.

One estranged mother spoke with KPRC 2's Corley Peel:

Hundreds of people evacuated the church. Children were seen walking out holding hands. Some parents, like Vanessa, were unable to reach their children

“I was inside with my husband and they were at daycare, so we're still waiting for my baby. The others were released and the three-month-old is inside,” Vanessa said.

Vanessa and other families moved. They asked to pick up their kids at Lifetime Fitness near the church. KPRC 2 caught up with Vanessa as she reunited with her baby.

“I have two children now. I think proudly. But believe me, I was panicking after everything,” he said.

Vanessa said she was holding her kids really tight tonight