Disney Announces Movie About Keanon Lowe, Ex-Oregon WR Who Stopped High School Shooting


Lowe, the former Parkrose High football coach, disarmed a student at the school in 2019.

Disney announced a slate of new movies and TV shows on Thursday, including a feature film about former Oregon wide receiver Keanon Lowe.

Lowe made national headlines in May 2019 after disarming a student at Parkrose High School in Portland. At the time, he worked as a campus security guard and coached the school's football and track teams.

Last year, Sports Illustrated's Greg Bishop spoke with Lowe about the incident. After distraught student Angel Granados-Diaz entered a classroom on May 17 with a shotgun, students ran out of the room and Lowe attempted to take the weapon from his hands. They wrestled for a bit before Lowe finally snatched the firearm away and held down Granados-Diaz.

The two had never met before, but as Lowe stayed with Granados-Diaz until the police arrived, the student screamed "Nobody cares about me!" Lowe responded, "I care about you," just before officers descended on the school.

In the weeks that followed Lowe would be commended by the U.S. Congress, the Oregon State Senate and the Portland police. Meanwhile, Granados-Diaz, whose lawyer later would say in court that he suffered from depression, was charged with possessing a firearm in public and with reckless endangerment. He was sentenced to three years of probation in October 2019.

Lowe's football career led him to Parkrose a few years after he played four seasons (2011-14) at Oregon under coach Chip Kelly. After graduation, he hoped to play in the NFL and landed a workout with the Cardinals as an undrafted free agent, but nothing materialized. Lowe eventually worked for Kelly in the NFL during the coach's stints with the Eagles and 49ers. After Kelly was fired in San Francisco, his former player returned home to volunteer with Jesuit High's football team before coaching at Parkrose. Lowe now works for UCLA's football program as an analyst.

Disney did not provide many details on the movie, which will stream on Disney+ when it premieres.