Last Friday, with less than six minutes left in the fourth quarter of the varsity football game, athletes, coaches, parents and students began to evacuate the field.

When the evacuation started, students began running out of the stands after seeing the football teams run off the fields and towards the busses.

Due to a shooting nearby the Annandale campus, the rest of the game was suspended.

Students were directed to get in their cars and go, or to wait inside of the gym in the school.

“At first I thought the game had just ended early and we were going to start rushing the field, then people started running away from the field and towards the school,” senior Sydney Wilmes said.

The shooting had taken place around 9 p.m. on Suraci Court, about less than a mile away from AHS.

The suspect is described as a black male with a white shirt and checkered shorts.

The man who was shot is currently being treated for non-life threatening injuries.

The game paused with exactly five minutes and 31 seconds left, Annandale up 13-12.

At around 11 p.m. Principal Shawn DeRose released a statement regarding the incident in the Annandale Insider.

“The safety of students, players and fans is our top priority. Thank you to both the Falls Church and Annandale communities for their cooperation and support,” DeRose said.

The final home game for the Atoms was meant to end as a special night, as it was their Senior Night.
Unfortunately, due to the events it was cut short.

“My mind was kind of blank, all I wanted to do was make sure my family and loved ones were okay,” senior Zach Hurd said.

“Despite everything that happened, I think everything went really well,” senior Patrick Diconi said.

The last five minutes and 31 seconds of the game resumed the following Saturday at 12 p.m.
The game continued on and the Jaguars managed to score.
Leaving them with a five point lead.
With just under two minutes left in the game, senior Zach Hurd managed to run 75 yards and pull through for the Atoms.

After the two point conversion, the Atoms won the game 21-18.

“I was in shock, I just remember darting down the left sideline and diving to the endzone,” Hurd said. “It was a dogfight, really. We wanted it more and I believe I we went out there and proved it.”