A 15-year-old high school football player was hailed a hero after he was fatally shot as he covered three girls when a man “randomly” opened fire on a crowd in Tennessee, police said Friday.

“Zaevion Dobson, a 15-year-old Fulton High School student and football player, was struck and killed after he had jumped on top of three girls to shield them from the shooters,” Knoxville police Chief David Rausch said, appearing emotional as he held back tears during a news conference.

None of the three girls were injured, according to a GoFundMe page for Dobson, that said he was “our hero.”

Dobson’s actions were acknowledge by President Barack Obama on Sunday.

“Zaevion Dobson died saving three friends from getting shot. He was a hero at 15. What’s our excuse for not acting?” the tweet stated.

Thursday’s deadly incident began when Brandon Perry, 23, shot his mother, Lisa, in the back several times, police said.

She suffered non-life threatening injuries, and a 10-year-old who was also inside the residence was not injured, according to the Knoxville Police Department.

Perry then joined other men and “randomly” opened fire on a crowd several miles from the initial incident, police said.

It was at the second location, on Badgett Drive, where Dobson was killed.

Perry later crashed a BMW into an apartment complex. Video showed the black car was nearly halfway inside the brick building.

He was shot prior to the crash and died from his injuries Friday morning, police said. It was not clear who shot Perry.

Two other men fled from the crash scene and were detained.

One was later released and the second man, Christopher Bassett, 20, was arrested in connection to the deadly shooting.

He was held without bond and charged with violating probation and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, police said.

All three men had possible gang ties, local TV station WATE reported.

After the shootings, the shaken police chief asked for his community’s help.

“We really do plead with our community to step up and stop these acts,” Rausch said. “These cowardly and senseless acts of violence must stop. We ask for peace.”

Friday night, Dobson was honored at a candlelight vigil, where people placed candles in formation to make out “24” — his football number.

“It was good to know he was willing to protect others, but then it was sad he had to give up his own life for it,” said friend Jaylin Posey.

Dobson’s dream was to become a professional player or coach, his brother, Zack Dobson, said.

“He wanted to make it and he wanted all of us to make it out,” he said, adding that he was relying on family and friends to help him cope with his brother’s sudden death.

Zaevion Dobson was a sophmore, and very well liked by his peers and teachers, said his football coach, Rob Black, as a news conference.

Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero also spoke about the teen, saying he was a success.

“He was one of the success stories. Good family. Involved in sports, a mentee of one of our organizations here in town,” Rogero said.

Dobson was a mentor with the 100 Black Men of Greater Knoxville, Inc., an organization that aims to empower minority youth to reach their full potential, according to WATE.

CNN contributed to this report.