American football player killed while protecting girls from gunmen

An American football players, Zaevion Dobson has been killed while protecting three girls from a gunmen.

A series of shooting by three men on Thursday, December 17 caught the 15-year-old high school football player as he shielded three girls from gunfire in Tennessee.

The girls shielded by Dobson were not hurt according to said Knoxville Police Chief David Rausch.

One of the shooters, Brandon Perry was later found to have been shot after he crashed a car into another apartment and later died from his injuries on Friday morning.

Two other men who fled from the crash were arrested, though one was later released after being questioned.

"These cowardly and senseless acts of violence must stop," Rausch said.

"We should be preparing to celebrate the Christmas holiday, but now we have two men who are dead."

Rausch said investigators think the shootings are gang-related, but he said there didn't appear to be a motive to target Dobson.

The brave late teenage got a praise from US President, Barack Obama who took to Twitter to call him a hero.

"Zaevion Dobson died saving three friends from getting shot. He was a hero at 15. What's our excuse for not acting?  Obama asked.