A former Thorndale High School football standout was one of the nine persons who were wounded and survived the deadly shooting Sunday in a Jacksonville, Florida, mall.
Anthony “Tony” Montagnino, now a resident of Round Rock, was shot in the lower back and leg. He survived and has appeared in several national television programs since the shooting, including “Good Morning America.”
Montagnino was treated at a Jacksonville hospital following the shooting in which two persons were killed by a man identified by police as David Katz of Baltimore.
Katz then took his own life, police said.
VIDEO TOURNEY—
Montagnino and Katz were two of the participants in a Madden 19 NFL video tourney being held in a pizza restaurant in the Jacksonville Landing Mall.
Katz had been eliminated from the tourney.
Montagnino told Good Morning America he at first thought the gunfire was fireworks but went into “survival mood” when he got hit and saw flashes from the pistol.
The THS grad said he hit the floor, then “just wanted to make sure I was out of there.”
Montagnino plays under the gaming handle “G-Tech.”
Winners in the Florida tourney were to have advanced to a national Madden 19 NFL Tourney in October in Las Vegas.
In addition to the nine persons who were shot and survived, including Montagnino, two other persons were injured while attempting to flee the shooter, according to authorities.
FULLBACK—Montagnino was a multi-sport standout at THS in the early 2000s, capping off his athletic career with a stellar 2002 season.
Playing fullback, he rushed for about 1,000 yards and had four games of 100 yards or more.
His best game was against Salado where he carried 17 times for 182 yards.
He also had a 100-yard receiving game against Hutto.
Montagnino ended his THS career with 13 touchdowns.
He was also the Bulldog place kicker for Coach Gary Jack.
Montagnino also was a stalwart on the Bulldog basketball squad his senior year.
He also ran a leg on Thorndale’s state-qualifying 400-meter relay team in 2002.
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