A former CFL all-star is being commended for his actions that helped prevent a potential shooting inside the school in Jacksonville, Florida where he teaches physical education.
Lin-J Shell, a defensive back with the Calgary Stampeders during the team’s 2014 Grey Cup championship run, was attempting to stop a massive brawl that had erupted in the gymnasium at Jean Ribault High School on May 9 when he spotted a woman with a gun.
“I came behind the lady and saw she had a bag or something over her hand,” recounted Shell in an interview with NBC. “I looked again and saw the rear sights of a pistol.”
The 36-year-old, whose CFL career included time with the Lions, Argonauts and Blue Bombers, peacefully controlled the situation by grabbing the woman’s hand and ensuring the gun remained pointed at the floor.
“I didn’t want to do anything fast in case she squeezed the trigger. We were still in point blank range of all of the kids. She kept her hand down and I pusher her out the door and basically told her please don’t shoot our kids.”
Police arrested the woman, later identified as Sharon Kelly, at the school. The 43-year-old has been charged with possession of a firearm on school property. Kelly and a group of males had arrived at the school to defend her nephew who was involved in an online feud with other students.
Shell dismisses the term hero and says his actions were an attempt to protect his students.
Wednesday’s situation was the ninth gun incident in the Duval County school system in the 2017-2018 school year.
With files from CTV’s Alesia Fieldberg
