Head football coach shot dead in High School weight room

raidersrule76

This hapened in a town about 50 miles from me and its very sad that things like this happen. I know that I didn't know the coach or his family but please send out prayers for his family and community in this tough time. I know that they will all appricate it.

DES MOINES, Iowa (Reuters) - A high school football coach in the midwestern United States whose team became a symbol of recovery from a deadly 2008 tornado was shot and killed on Wednesday, officials said.

A suspect was in custody after Ed Thomas was shot in the head in the Aplington-Parkersburg high school's weight-training room and airlifted to a hospital where he died, said officials with the school and Butler County in Iowa.

Some students witnessed the attack but none was hurt. The suspect was not identified and the motive was not immediately known.

"It was a senseless act in our community this morning," school superintendent Jon Thompson said.

A tornado struck Parkersburg and nearby New Hartford on May 25, 2008, killing eight people and damaging the high school and flattening hundreds of homes.

Thomas, the football team's long-time coach, spearheaded the rebuilding and the two-time state champions resumed play on their new field in September, which was widely reported as a morale boost for the community's 1,900 residents.

Four graduates of the school play in the National Football League. The NFL named Thomas its high school coach of the year in 2005.

(Reporting by Kay Henderson; Writing by Andrew Stern; Editing by John O'Callaghan)

apphd

What a shame. What looks like an outstanding coach, and good guy is taken, and it is in front of youngsters. Just can't figure out some peoples actions.

raidersrule76

They have the guy in custody so that is a good thing. Hopefully he won't try to use the insanity plea in all this the guy needs to get what he deserves. Luckily the 20 students that were in the weight room at the time of the shooting were not hurt, I can't begin to imangine what those poor kids are going thru right now.

best regards
mark

hearingimpared

That is horrible. I'm praying for all involved.

They don't even have the slightest idea as what the motive was behind the shooting?

CaligulaPolk

makes me wanting my kids do home schooling

Philip1228

CaligulaPolk wrote: »

makes me wanting my kids do home schooling

That is why mine is home schooled. It has actually turned better in more ways than one. He gets to do school on his schedule and since his mother and I both work he is a great help around the house. He runs errands, cleans, shops, etc.

raidersrule76

They do not have any idea of the motive as of yet or if they do they sure arn't saying anything. I realized today that I actualy have talked to the father of the young man that did the shooting. Shortly after the tornado last year I called down there to see if there was anything that I could do to help and Mr. Becker was the one that I talked to I actually still have his phone number in my phone. You know its funny what a small small world that we all live in. I sure hope that they get all this resolved in a timely manner for the sake of everyone involved, I think the longer they drag things out the worse its gonna get. On a side note they mover the suspect to my county late last night, I think that they might be worried about his saftey because of how much the coach was loved by so many.

best regards
mark