Knoxville teen killed shielding three girls from gunfire

PREVIOUS STORY: A 15-year-old Fulton High School football player lost his life Thursday night while trying to protect others from gunfire during a “senseless act of violence”, according to the Knoxville Police Department.

A community and its youth are grieving today over the death of Zaevion William Dobson, a high school student-athlete who was fatally shot after he and his friends were fired on as they sat outside, authorities said.

The first incident involved 46-year-old Lisa Perry being shot in her apartment.

He later died from gunshot wounds following a auto crash, while his mother is expected to survive.

At approximately 10:12 p.m., Rausch said the 23-year-old son of Lisa Perry, Brandon Perry, along with several additional males drove to the Lonsdale area and randomly fired multiple times into a crowd on Badgett Drive.

The driver of the vehicle, Brandon Perry, was shot prior to crashing the vehicle into the apartment, according to Rausch. He died of his injuries in the early morning hours on Friday.

Black said he was meeting Friday with the football team to talk about Dobson’s death.

“Why would you shoot at random bystanders”. Dobson’s brother Zach told WBIR-TV in that he was among the many group sitting on a porch just after 10 p.m. once they saw the lads strolling as much as them. Just know that I miss him.

“We should be celebrating the Christmas holiday, instead, now we have two young men who are dead”, Rausch said at a news conference Friday. The shooting appears to have been connected to two other shootings that took place last night.

“For nothing … Zae, he was an awesome kid brother, awesome brother. I miss my brother”.

Also attending the news conference were Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero, Fulton High School Principal Rob Speas and Fulton football coach Rob Black. “But still he falls victim to this”. “Going to be a tough time as we leave from here and go meet with our football players”.

The other, Christopher D. Bassett, 20, was charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and violation of probation.