She shielded kids & was hit 3 times

THE FIRST victim in the Kalamazoo shooting tried to protect children playing outside an apartment complex before being shot multiple times.

Tiana Carruthers put herself between a group of kids ds and gunman Jason Dalton at the beginning of his Saturday night rampage in Michigan, when he killed six and wounded two.

Carruthers was hit three times in the legs and arms, according to WWMT, but is expected to survive.

The 25-year-old and several children, including at least one of her own, were outside at the Meadows Townhomes when Dalton, a 45-year-old Uber driver, drove up right before 6 p.m.

Kalamazoo County Sheriff Richard Fuller said the mom “sensed trouble” before sending the kids inside as quickly impossibl ble.

Joi Coleman, 12 12, told WWMT sh she saw Carruther ers ask the shooter if there was anyth thing she could do fo for him before he op opened fire.

“He shot her on once, and she was sti still running and then he shot her again and she fell,” Coleman said.