LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A cheer community is mourning after the tragic loss of one of their young squadmates during a national competition in Las Vegas.
WATCH | I spoke with some of the visiting cheer teams and the impact this tragedy is having on the community:
Metro police say a daughter and her mother were found dead inside their hotel room at the Rio after an apparent murder-suicide over the weekend.
Police say the young girl was shot and killed by her mother before she turned the gun on herself.
WATCH: Lt. Robert Price shares details of the investigation and what police have found so far:
Family members and friends initially reported the pair missing, identifying them as Tawnia McGeehan and Addi Smith. The missing person's flyer quickly gained traction on social media before the tragic discovery.
Later on Monday, the Salem Police Department confirmed in a social media post that Addi Smith, the niece of Sgt. Smith, had died in Las Vegas.
Early Sunday, Metro police went to their room to check on the mother and daughter. Investigators say they left after they didn't find any signs of suspicious activity.
Hours later, Rio security returned to check on them again. When no one answered, security went inside the room and found their bodies and a note.
"Sometime last night, the mother shot her daughter and then shot herself. At this point, nobody is reporting any gunshots," LMVPD Lt. Robert Price said.
Inside the Orleans Arena, every cheer and every stunt carried an extra meaning as teams honored Addi Smith.
"She, unfortunately, didn't get the chance to compete this weekend, so you know, we cheer extra hard for her," Juliane Corona, visiting from California, said.
The cheer teams I spoke with did not know the young girl personally, but tell me the cheer community is tightly knit, so when they heard of her tragic death, it hit them hard.
"It's very gut-wrenching," Corona said.
"I can guarantee you when we go inside this stadium, that you will feel the somberness. It's a very tragic situation," Tamekia Jackson, visiting from California, said.
Addi's cheer team took to social media to address her tragic loss. In a statement they said: "We are completely heartbroken. No words do the situation justice. She was so beyond loved, and she will always be a part of the UXC family."
It's a sentiment those in the cheer community share.
"Everyone rallies around each other when something like this happens. I'm praying for everyone involved," Jackson said.
If you need to talk to someone about thoughts of harming yourself or others, help is available 24/7. Call the Suicide Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, or text "HOME" to the Crisis Text Line at 741741.
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