Gun violence strikes again as an 18-year-old high football player was killed in a shooting at a Harvest Homecoming event in Indiana.
In a Facebook post, the Corydon Central High School football team said “our hearts are incredibly heavy” following the news of senior leader Bryce Gerlach’s tragic death.
“There are not enough words to describe the condolences we extend to his family and friends,” they added.
Why Was 18-Year-Old Football Star Bryce Gerlach Shot and Killed At Harvest Homecoming?
The New Albany Police Department’s Police Chief Todd Bailey said in a press conference shared by WLKY News that Gerlach, a senior, was murdered after gunshots erupted at the event at around 9:50 p.m. local time on Saturday, Oct. 12.
Now, he is being remembered as a hero.
Gerlach’s Classmates Say He Died Trying To Save Others
Gerlach’s classmates from Corydon Central High School told WAVE that he died a hero, desperately trying to shield other people in his group from the barrage of bullets during the shooting. Gerlach was pronounced dead at the scene.
“It was very selfless what he did,” Gerlach’s friend Tanner Chumly told the outlet. “And I’m thankful he went out in such a heroic way so that’s how people remember him because that’s what he was. He was a hero.”
The police report that Gerlach, a 22-year-old man and 42-year-old woman were injured in the incident and are considered no more than “innocent bystanders” in the investigation.
The other victims were transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, per police.
Police in the southeastern Indiana town, which borders Louisville, Kentucky, have conducted their preliminary investigation, it was “believed at least two groups of individuals were involved in a dispute” that “led to shots fired.”
There are reportedly several persons of interest at this time, but no arrests have been made according to police.
Gerlach was a valued varsity member of Corydon Central’s football team, who “always jumped to the front line to take on that leadership role,” head football coach Luke Keller told the Louisville Courier Journal.
On Tuesday, the team held its first practice since the tragedy at the Harvest Homecoming Festival in New Albany on Saturday. Players were noticeably still shaken and grieving.
“This is what this team needed, because it wasn’t the crispest practice that we had, but the boys were out there having fun,” Keller told the Courier Journal. “That’s kind of something that Bryce’s dad, Scott, told us is Bryce would want you to play, and Bryce would want you to have fun.”
Who Was Bryce Gerlach Off The Field?
Gerlach was also reportedly a star in the classroom with a GPA near 4.0. He was valuable to his friends and family as a person who knew how to cut tension and add comic relief to any situation.
Gerlach played multiple positions as a kicker and punter. His multi-layered athleticism allowed him to also play on defense as a cornerback. According to his coaches, Gerlach was garnering interest from Division I schools, including Middle Tennessee State University and Marshall University.
The team won’t have much time to mourn, but the school is trying to deal with the aftermath of such a tragic loss and the process has extended beyond their immediate community.
According to a Facebook post, students started Monday by hosting a gathering to remember Gerlach. Students from neighboring South Central Jr.-Sr. High School in Elizabeth provided the senior class with breakfast and a card to offer their condolences. Several other community organizations offered various forms of support, including therapy dogs and mental health therapists.
This Friday, the football schedule continues against Silver Creek, where Gerlach’s memory will be honored by students wearing blue, which was Gerlach’s favorite color, Corydon Central Athletics said in a Facebook post.
Gerlach’s name will be called on Friday, and his family is expected to attend in his place, Keller said.
