'Get down, Mr. Weller!' 13-year-old's heroic actions caught on video during shooting at middle school football game

The students on the field were from Lumberton Junior High and St. Pauls Middle School.

In one video, you can hear someone shout, "Somebody's shooting in here!" Students leap to their feet. Some go running across the field, searching for cover. Others throw themselves into the grass, covering their heads. Cheerleaders in blue can be seen running and screaming.

At the end of the video, a young student can be heard shouting, "Get down, Mr. Weller!" and then seen pulling a man to the ground. Comments on Facebook are praising his actions as being heroic.

Reflecting on the chaotic moment, Holloman said, "I wanted to make sure everybody else was okay before I got down, because that's right. In my book, that's right."

Donald Weller, the young hero's teacher, described his student's actions, saying, "He helped me up and got me to the fence and reminded me to stay low to the ground. It kind of made me feel more assured and calmed me down a little bit."

Hollomon, who plays defensive back, says just moments before the gunfire broke out, his team had been reveling together in the glow of victory.

"We were talking about how we're ready to get the trophy and how it's going to feel," he said. "But it didn’t feel like we won a championship after what had happened."

One person was confirmed to have been shot in the parking lot. Upon arrival to the school, Lumberton police officers found a 41-year-old woman with gunshot wounds.

She was taken by helicopter to a hospital for life-threatening injuries and was in critical condition as of Thursday afternoon.. The victim’s name has not been released.

People at the scene reported hearing several gunshots, and seeing a suspect dressed in black.]

One mom ducked for cover with her 10-year-old daughter.

"The fight or flight thing kind of kicked in and we huddled together to stay safe," she said. "We noticed the crowd coming from the parking lot back into the inside of the stadium."

“We’re not going to tolerate that kind of behavior on our campuses whether it occurs during the school day or after,” said Public Schools of Robeson County Superintendent Dr. Freddie Williamson in a statement on Thursday. “Safety is our top priority as we will place additional measures necessary to ensure the safety of our students and the public on our campuses during games.”

PSRC leadership said they will be leasing additional lighting for campuses during home sporting events, especially in parking lot areas at middle and high schools. The extra lighting will help with security checks at entrances and bolster police presence at games.

School board member Tre Britt posted on Facebook: "Prayers for the senseless situation that happened at LHS tonight at the conclusion of the PSRC middle school football championship. The football players from Lumberton Junior & St. Pauls Middle worked hard to reach that stage and they will be recognized for their efforts with a trophy presentation. They deserve that moment and it’s already in the works!"

Extra support will be provided for students and staff at both schools Thursday.

PSRC said St. Pauls, who won the game, will be recognized with a proper celebration at a later date.