Heroic teen is shot dead shielding others at Harvest Homecoming festival

Officials are on the hunt for two men after an 18-year-old Indiana teenager was left dead in a triple shooting at a homecoming festival.

Bryce Gerlach, a footballer at Corydon Central High School, was caught in a crossfire between two groups involved in a dispute at the Harvest Homecoming festival.

According to New Albany Police, the shooting happened near the YMCA at Main and State streets at around 10pm on October 12.

Friends of the teen believe he died shielding others in his group from a bullet.

'After the first couple shots, we all just kind of ran, and I just kind of panicked,' a witness told WDRB .

A 22-year-old man and a 42-year-old woman were also injured and were rushed nearby hospitals for treatment.

Officials believe all three of the victims were innocent bystanders and unrelated to the dispute that led up to the shooting.

NAPD Chief of Police Todd Bailey said the department has identified some persons of interest in the case but have yet to name suspects.

Friends and family of the young footballer have since set up several memorials for him across town.

Mother Heather Gerlach remembered : 'We are devastated with the loss of Bryce. The pain is unimaginable. Friday we will be celebrating Senior night prior to the Football game. Let's pack the stadium for Bryce.

'Bryce would love to see a full house. We are in awe of all the love & support we are receiving from the community.'

Tanner Chumbly, who was one of Gerlach's closest friends on and off the field told AZ Family : 'I just sat in my bed for hours and thought, "Why him?" It shouldn't have been him. He didn't deserve that.

'It was very selfless what he did, and I'm thankful he went out in such a heroic way so that's how people remember him because that's what he was. He was a hero.'

'He always jumped to the front line to take on that leadership role,' Corydon Central Head Football Coach Luke Keller added .

Keller also revealed that Gerlach dreamed of playing football in college and had garnered some interest from Division I schools including Middle Tennessee State University and Marshall University.

Girlfriend Precious Flahn reminisced in a lengthy Facebook post : 'One of the things you always said was that you will always care about my safety, I knew you did because you were my protector and my safe space and my home and I was yours. I didn't know the extent in which you meant it until Saturday night with the shooting at harvest homecoming.

'We planned getting engaged at 22, married our senior year of college, and to travel to Italy for our honeymoon. We were just some crazy in love kids for only knowing each other for a year.

'I have so many regrets in my life like not holding you tight enough, not going to your first game, complaining about taking 20 million videos of you kicking for film, but one I will never has is meeting and loving you with all I had and being there trying to save you that Saturday night at harvest. I will forever be your girlfriend bryce andrew gerlach and I love you more than you'll ever know! '

In a statement released Sunday, New Albany Mayor Jeff Gahan thanked officers, emergency workers and festival attendees who responded to the shooting.

'I want to offer my condolences to the family of the young man who lost his life last evening in New Albany. My thoughts and prayers are with them today.'

'We've enjoyed a safe Harvest Homecoming for nearly 57 years, but sadly, this type of gun violence is now all too common across the United States.

'Gun violence at a family festival is heartbreaking and tragic, and our country must find a way to come together to stop this type of violence,' Gahan said.