JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Michael Holmes says he will never forget the first time he met Prince Holland. They were at a gas station in Jacksonville.
Holmes says Holland was leaving the store, and he overheard him talking to his friends.
“He said oh snap I can’t leave the store without getting my little sister a soda," said Holmes. "I can’t forget about my little sister and right then I ran to my car and I gave him the money because I have a little sister. So that immediately touched my heart with that young man."
Holmes then invited Holland to be a part of his new football organization, called Ambitious Kings and Queens Lions. They had their first practice Saturday
He says practice ended around 6 p.m. and 45 minutes later he heard about the shooting that left Prince dead.
“I was devastated, my heart immediately dropped to the floor like I didn’t know what to think, I immediately started crying," said Holmes.
First Coast News is learning new details about the night they left practice.
The athletic director was driving Prince and several other players home from practice when someone drove up and opened fire into the car.
We are not naming the athletic director at this time as police have not officially released his name, but his attorney tells us he was shot 10 times and underwent surgery Tuesday.
An 11-year-old was also shot, and we’re told he is stable. However, Prince did not survive.
“I'm so hurt and still hurt like I can’t even sleep at night and everybody looks at this like it's just football, but it's deeper than that every kid that come to me is a part of me," said Holmes.
Holmes is asking the player’s families if they need any help at all to please reach out to the football organization.