It was a night of terror -- police texting there was an active shooter on campus, warning students to shelter in place, and -- if confronted to run, hide, fight.
“Right when we were coming to a stop the shots started," recalls Mike Hollins who was wounded in the attack. "I saw Lavelle stand up, and then I saw him hit the ground, and I saw the shooter standing over him, and that’s when I told the bus driver to. open the doors. We've got to get out of here.”
When the killer was arrested the next day, the community was relieved -- but mystery surrounded his motive, and there were prayers for the recovery of two wounded students -- one of them, Mike Hollins, a teammate of those who had died.
“You get to choose — to pick up the anger, pick up the hate, pick up the guilt, or you can pick up forgiveness, you can pick up family, you can pick up the Bible, you can pick up football again.”
“Hands off to Mike Hollins. Hollins pushing forward!" said an excited play-by-play analyst as Hollins ran for his first touchdown after recovering from his wounds. "Iron Mike is in! It had to be him!”
Two seasons later, the Cavaliers, who were ranked 14th of 17 in their conference, would go on to the Atlantic Coast championship, and -- perhaps -- to a sense of peace, having honored their fallen friends through their sport.
The documentary premieres at the Paramount Theater in Charlottesville Sunday night at 7:30 as part of this year's Virginia Film Festival.
