Student-athlete Airshad Mohammed says at Friday night’s football game, he will be playing his hardest.
“The officers that were here … It’s going to mean a lot to them when we play,” said Mohammed, who attends Hollywood Hills High school.
The high school senior says he will dedicate every play to the two Hollywood police officers who lost their lives: 28-year-old Officer Yandy Chirino, who was killed in the line of duty two weeks ago, and Lieutenant John Graham, who died by suicide just hours later.
On Friday, each player will be wearing the initials of both fallen officers on their helmets.
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“With this helmet and the stickers on it, it's going to be for those officers and each officer serving right now,” he said.
Football coach Brandon Graham says showing their solidarity with Hollywood Police is the least his players can do, for all that officers do for them.
“There were a number of people impacted by what happened,” Graham said.
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“A lot of them don't know how much police officers do for them and how much they sacrifice and give, so this is a chance for them to, unfortunately, learn that in a very rough situation," he said.
The school had extra helmets made for the Hollywood Police Department and for the families of Officer Chirino and Lt. Graham.
“It would do us a great honor if on our behalf if two of these helmets could be presented to the families of our fallen officers,” said Principal Daniel Most.
