In a totally harrowing story from Knoxville, Tennessee, a high school football player was shot and killed while shielding three girls from gunfire, according to the AP.
Zaevion Dobson, 15, was reportedly an innocent bystander in a shooting Knoxville police say was “gang-related.”
The shooter, Brandon Perry, reportedly crashed his car into an apartment and was shot. He died Friday morning. Two other suspects were arrested, though one was released after being question, according to the AP.
The quotes here are devastating.
From the AP, this is what Dobson’s brother Zach told WBIR-TV:
“Why would you shoot at random bystanders for nothing? We were just sitting there chilling,” Dobson said. “Zae, he was an awesome kid, awesome brother. Just know that I miss him. I miss my brother.”
Football coach Rob Black, who called Dobson “a fine young man.”
“Only a sophomore, but a very contagious young man who was very liked by his peers and his teachers,” Black said. “Going to be a tough time as we leave from here and go meet with our football players.”
“He was really one of our success stories,” Rogero said. “Involved in sports, a mentee of one of our organizations in town. But still he falls victim to this.”
All I can do is sit in this bed where he laid his head every night man 😞 life not gonna be the same without u 💯 @_zdobbs24 come back bruh
— zack dobson (@stn__zack) December 18, 2015
It's a cold world out here, a young man gave his life to spare many lives around him and that earns all of my respect … RIP Zaevion Dobson
— Todd Kelly Jr. (TK) (@ToddKellyJr) December 18, 2015
We want you to know that Zaevion was an outstanding young man who will always be remembered as a hero. pic.twitter.com/h7qlV1D9zO
— Fulton Football (@FultonFootball) December 18, 2015
Zae had a heart size of Texas👼🏾 knew that ever since I met him in lonsdale. A hero to East Tennessee.. https://t.co/DdCWxC5OTc
— Akbar Shabazzz (@tht_mula_bookie) December 18, 2015
It sounds like Zaevion was a good kid, and his death was apparently pretty heroic, but that’s really beside the point. The bottom line is that he did not deserve to die at age 15.
With all the attention paid recently to mass shootings and random acts of violence, we shouldn’t forget that this kind of violence tragically happens every day in America and has ultimate consequences for many good people like Zaevion and others who are live in areas beleaguered by gun violence.
