Heroic Football Coach Wrestles Gunman to the Ground Before Any Students Are Injured
Students and parents at Parkrose High School in Portland, Oregon, credit a former Oregon Ducks football player, now the head football and track coach at their school, for tackling an armed gunman on campus.
A male student brought a shotgun into the school on May 17 and was quickly confronted by a staff member who tackled him to the ground before police could arrive, according to KPTV.
“He comes in and he has a trench coat on and he has the gun in bare sight,” Parkrose senior Alexa Pope said.
BREAKING: we’ve just confirmed Keanon Lowe – the head football coach at Parkrose High – is the man who tackled the suspect with a gun on the school campus today. Incredible resolution to a very scary situation and SO MANY people thankful for this man and what he did. @fox12oregon
— Kelsey Watts (@KelseyWattsKPTV) May 17, 2019
Police did not immediately identify the gunman or the staff member who stopped him from unleashing a potential shooting attack on the student body.
But students and parents at the school have confirmed that the heroic staff member was football and track coach Keanon Lowe.
Lowe was a wide receiver for four years at the University of Oregon and played football at Jesuit High School, where he was named Defensive Player of the Year, The Oregonian reported.
Former Oregon Duck @KeanonLowe, now Parkrose HS football coach, wrestles suspect to ground amid report of armed gunman near schoolhttps://t.co/OnlXcxj0Kp pic.twitter.com/fa8mOZuTPD
— The Oregonian (@Oregonian) May 17, 2019
Lowe reportedly tackled the gunman to the ground and prevented him from firing the weapon.
The gunman has been charged with possessing a gun in a public building, attempting to discharge a firearm at a school, reckless endangerment and possession of a loaded firearm in a public place, KOIN reported.
The teenager had been displaying some very troubling behavior at school, including telling another student that he had tried on multiple attempts to take his own life.
Reporters from KOIN spoke with Lowe’s mother, who said that her son was just glad to be in the right place at the right time.
Students expressed heartfelt gratitude and respect for Lowe, who probably just made the most important tackle of his life.
They also expressed disappointment in their fellow peer for his horrific choice to plan an attack at their school.
“It was truly terrifying,” Pope said. “None of us knew if we were going to come out alive.”
Thanks to Lowe’s heroic actions, the student body is safe and sound.
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