A 13-year-old boy was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting over the weekend following a football practice in Jacksonville.
According to Action News Jax, a 20-year-old coach who was in the car with some of his players was shot 10 times as he dove to cover the children. The shooting occurred while he coach and the boys were coming from a football tryout at the Legends Center and Gymnasium in Jacksonville. In addition to a 13-year-old boy being fatally shot, an 11-year-old boy was seriously injured along with the 20-year-old coach.
A football coach in Jacksonville, Florida was shot 10 times while trying to protect his young players from a drive.- by shooting Saturday night. He survived but a 13-year-old boy passed.💔Rip🕊️🏈 pic.twitter.com/oGAo5fid1K
— Raphousetv (RHTV) (@raphousetv2) December 9, 2022
“Inside the vehicle during the shooting were five victims ranging from 11 to 20 years old,” the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said in a post. “Two of these were not injured during the shooting, while three of the victims in the vehicle sustained serious injuries to include a 13 year old that died at the scene.”
A 21-year-old driver who was critically injured in a drive-by shooting Saturday that left a 13-year-old dead was shot 10 times while trying to shield the four children in his SUV from gunfire, according to his attorney. https://t.co/NlYGy6bvYm
— News4JAX (@wjxt4) December 7, 2022
According to Action News Jax, an attorney for the coach says he has had several surgeries for his gunshot injuries. He is in critical condition. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is still working to identify suspects in the case.
“This grief has emboldened us and hardened our resolve,” Sheriff T.K. Waters said. “To those responsible for this terrible act, know this: We will not rest, we will not tire, we will not waver.”
Holland was the youngest of eight children and was remembered by his family as a “good kid” who was on the honor roll at school.
“He went to church every Sunday. He played sports. He took the other kids to play sports so they wouldn’t be out here doing drugs, smoking and being in gangs,” his mother, Chantel Brown, told the station News4Jax.