KNOXVILLE, Tenn. —  A man wielding a shotgun entered a church and opened fire as congregants watched a youth performance Sunday, killing one person and injuring eight others, police said.

There were about 200 people at the time of the shooting watching a youth performance being put on by 25 children.

"We heard the first shot," she said. "It sounded like a bomb went off. We thought it was part of the program at first."

Murphy told the newspaper some of the children were close to the shooter when the attack began.

"One little girl had blood all over her," she said. "She was just hysterical. I don't know how that girl is going to sleep tonight."

Another witness told the newspaper that the man killed was a hero.

"Greg McKendry stood in the front of the gunman and took the blast to protect the rest of us," Barbara Kemper said.

"It appears Mr. McKendry was the first person he (the gunman) encountered when he walked into the sanctuary," Owen said.