Wichita youth football coach attacked - wife with gun to the rescue

[Lzen]

http://www.kansas.com/news/local/cri...le2032390.html
Group attacks Wichita youth football coach over player’s eligibility; coach’s wife defends with gun



By Stan Finger
The Wichita Eagle

09/09/2014 11:32 AM
09/10/2014 8:36 AM

Read more here: http://www.kansas.com/news/local/cri...#storylink=cpy

WICHITA Police are still looking for the men who they said threatened a youth football league coach with a gun and then began beating him after a dispute over playing time. The coach’s wife pulled out a gun and fired it in the air to scare the men away.

The incident occurred at about 7:45 p.m. Monday at Linwood Park in south Wichita, Lt. James Espinoza said.

The Wichita Tigers, who are part of the Greater Wichita Junior Football League, were practicing at Linwood Park when the mother of a former player confronted the coach over her son not being allowed to play in the season opener on last Saturday, said Jeremy Burris, director of the Tigers football program.

Burris would not say how old the player is. The league has teams for each age group between second and eighth grades.

The player was with the Tigers for about one week last season before he was removed from the team for what Burris called “a character issue.”
Family members played loud music and cursed loudly during practices and were a disruptive presence, he said.

The league’s code of conduct stipulates teams can be removed from the league for repeated occurrences of behavior such as misconduct at games. The code of conduct also sets out expected behavior for parents, coaches, players and spectators.

The player in question has recently played for three different teams in the league.

He played with the Tigers for one week last season, joined Saints for the rest of the 2013 season and then joined the Cowboys for the 2014 season, Burris said. But the boy was not allowed to play last Saturday because he had not turned in his football equipment to the Saints after last season ended.

“It’s kind of a mutual understanding between teams,” said Jerome Crawford, director of the Wichita Titans, who practice at Planeview Park. “The only way to maintain our stuff (equipment) is to not allow them to play for another team until we get our stuff back.”

Because the Cowboys were playing the Tigers on Saturday, Burris said, the woman thought “we were the ones that made her kid not play. We had nothing to do with it.”

The woman came to the park Monday night and began yelling at the coach, prompting the “team mom” to step in and urge her to calm down, Burris said.

The woman left and police were called to the park. They interviewed witnesses and left.

About 20 minutes after the police left, Burris said, a group of men walked up to the field in the park at 1901 S. Kansas and asked which coach had talked to their relative. When they found out, they confronted him.

One of the men lifted his shirt to display a handgun tucked into the waist of his pants, Espinoza said. Moments later, five or six other men began beating up the 37-year-old coach. One of the men used a set of brass knuckles, Espinoza said.

Seeing the attack, the coach’s wife pulled out a gun and fired a warning shot into the air, Burris said.

The coach broke free of his attackers and went to his car for a second gun, which he pointed at various people in the crowd, Espinoza said.

The attackers had all fled the park by the time officers arrived, Espinoza said. The guns used by the coach and his wife were confiscated as evidence. No arrests have been made.

“It’s upsetting to even hear a story like this,” said Espinoza, who is a youth league football coach himself. “It just sets a terrible example of coaching and parenting.”

He encouraged anyone who recorded video of the disturbance to contact investigators at 316-268-4646.

The coach who was involved in the clash and pulled out a gun after being attacked has been relieved of his coaching duties, Burris said. His wife was also dismissed from involvement with the team.

“He’s been a great role model” for kids, Burris said of the coach, who has been with the Tigers for a few years and worked in the league for at least 15 years. “He’s really helped.”

Despite that background, Burris said, “you can’t take weapons out around children.”

Both the coach and his wife have concealed-carry permits for their weapons, he said.

League officials declined to comment on the incident, citing the ongoing police investigation.

“Nothing like this has ever happened in this organization,” said Burris, who said he has been affiliated with the Tigers for 20 years. “We pride ourselves on zero tolerance for anything that goes on.”

That’s why they released the boy from the team last year and why they dismissed the coach following the altercation Monday night, he said.

Burris and Crawford both said they planned to meet with parents of players to talk about what happened Monday night.

“We’re supposed to be good role models,” Crawford said.

Reach Stan Finger at 316-268-6437 or sfinger@wichitaeagle.com. Follow him on Twitter: @StanFinger.

Read more here: http://www.kansas.com/news/local/cri...#storylink=cpy

[Cannibal]

Ah yeah... guns... * splooge, splooge*... guns.... ah yeah....

[FishingRod]

“Seeing the attack, the coach’s wife pulled out a gun and fired a warning shot into the air, Burris said.
The coach broke free of his attackers and went to his car for a second gun, which he pointed at various people in the crowd, Espinoza said.
The attackers had all fled the park by the time officers arrived, Espinoza said. The guns used by the coach and his wife were confiscated as evidence. No arrests have been made.”


The article sure does a poor job of telling the story and leaves me wanting answers.

Is it illegal to discharge a firearm in Wichita to stop a crime?

Who are the various people?

If the guns were confiscated, it seems the police are considering charging the couple with some sort of crime.

Any idea how long the police can confiscate a person’s firearm/property before they have to press charges or return them?

No mention is made of mention of charges filed or an investigation into the attackers? Hummm

[kcfanXIII]

Originally Posted by Garcia Bronco

Who cares...he'd been beaten with brass knuckles according to the article.

I agree, unless you have a badge, I'm aiming at anyone approaches in this situation. Good for him and his wife. Shame on the league for punishing this guy.

[Valiant]

Originally Posted by Dayze

I'm sure the wife will get locked up for 5, years for firing th gun.

She should of fired it into the dirt. That bullet hit something. Hopefully the ground. Should have known better on that. But I do not really blame her or him.

The league sounds like a joke. Zero tolerance, yet this kid with his family has been on three teams? But 15 year coach that was a good member, fired.

Maybe the parents will drop out and form their own league.

[kcfanXIII]

Originally Posted by Valiant

She should of fired it into the dirt. That bullet hit something. Hopefully the ground. Should have known better on that. But I do not really blame her or him.

The league sounds like a joke. Zero tolerance, yet this kid with his family has been on three teams? But 15 year coach that was a good member, fired.

Maybe the parents will drop out and form their own league.

Parents of Little League Boxing?

[J Diddy]

Coach is a big fan of the Shotgun and pistol formations.

[Radar Chief]

Originally Posted by J Diddy

Coach is a big fan of the Shotgun and pistol formations.

Too bad it didn't work out, kid had a rifle for an arm.

[WilliamTheIrish]

Probably for the best that they dismissed the dad. For his own safety and the safety of the other kids.

Sounds like these idiots wouldnt have a problem returning at a later date and spraying the whole practice field with shells.

In the end whatt may look like a punishment for the coach is more of a safety issue for everybody else.

[BucEyedPea]

WTF is happening today?

[notorious]

Originally Posted by BucEyedPea

WTF is happening today?

It's hump day.

[Easy 6]

Originally Posted by Cannibal

Ah yeah... guns... * splooge, splooge*... guns.... ah yeah....

Dude, in spite of our often widely divergent views, I've always respected you for speaking your mind without regard for "popular opinion" around here... but, what MIGHT have happened had his wife not been armed?

You make guns sound so evil, when in fact, a gun just might have stopped a murder or, at the least, incredibly vicious beating with brass knuckles... tell me you wouldn't be glad someone pulled a gun on them if it were YOU in the middle of that scum pile.

[Cannibal]

Originally Posted by Easy 6

Dude, in spite of our often widely divergent views, I've always respected you for speaking your mind without regard for "popular opinion" around here... but, what MIGHT have happened had his wife not been armed?

You make guns sound so evil, when in fact, a gun just might have stopped a murder or, at the least, incredibly vicious beating with brass knuckles... tell me you wouldn't be glad someone pulled a gun on them if it were YOU in the middle of that scum pile.

People need to just get their CC and about it. I'm tired hearing about all gun nut hero vs bad guy bullshit. Really tired of it.

[WhiteWhale]

Originally Posted by Lzen

http://www.kansas.com/news/local/cri...le2032390.html
Group attacks Wichita youth football coach over player’s eligibility; coach’s wife defends with gun



By Stan Finger
The Wichita Eagle

09/09/2014 11:32 AM
09/10/2014 8:36 AM

Read more here: http://www.kansas.com/news/local/cri...#storylink=cpy

WICHITA Police are still looking for the men who they said threatened a youth football league coach with a gun and then began beating him after a dispute over playing time. The coach’s wife pulled out a gun and fired it in the air to scare the men away.

The incident occurred at about 7:45 p.m. Monday at Linwood Park in south Wichita, Lt. James Espinoza said.

The Wichita Tigers, who are part of the Greater Wichita Junior Football League, were practicing at Linwood Park when the mother of a former player confronted the coach over her son not being allowed to play in the season opener on last Saturday, said Jeremy Burris, director of the Tigers football program.

Burris would not say how old the player is. The league has teams for each age group between second and eighth grades.

The player was with the Tigers for about one week last season before he was removed from the team for what Burris called “a character issue.”
Family members played loud music and cursed loudly during practices and were a disruptive presence, he said.

The league’s code of conduct stipulates teams can be removed from the league for repeated occurrences of behavior such as misconduct at games. The code of conduct also sets out expected behavior for parents, coaches, players and spectators.

The player in question has recently played for three different teams in the league.

He played with the Tigers for one week last season, joined Saints for the rest of the 2013 season and then joined the Cowboys for the 2014 season, Burris said. But the boy was not allowed to play last Saturday because he had not turned in his football equipment to the Saints after last season ended.

“It’s kind of a mutual understanding between teams,” said Jerome Crawford, director of the Wichita Titans, who practice at Planeview Park. “The only way to maintain our stuff (equipment) is to not allow them to play for another team until we get our stuff back.”

Because the Cowboys were playing the Tigers on Saturday, Burris said, the woman thought “we were the ones that made her kid not play. We had nothing to do with it.”

The woman came to the park Monday night and began yelling at the coach, prompting the “team mom” to step in and urge her to calm down, Burris said.

The woman left and police were called to the park. They interviewed witnesses and left.

About 20 minutes after the police left, Burris said, a group of men walked up to the field in the park at 1901 S. Kansas and asked which coach had talked to their relative. When they found out, they confronted him.

One of the men lifted his shirt to display a handgun tucked into the waist of his pants, Espinoza said. Moments later, five or six other men began beating up the 37-year-old coach. One of the men used a set of brass knuckles, Espinoza said.

Seeing the attack, the coach’s wife pulled out a gun and fired a warning shot into the air, Burris said.

The coach broke free of his attackers and went to his car for a second gun, which he pointed at various people in the crowd, Espinoza said.

The attackers had all fled the park by the time officers arrived, Espinoza said. The guns used by the coach and his wife were confiscated as evidence. No arrests have been made.

“It’s upsetting to even hear a story like this,” said Espinoza, who is a youth league football coach himself. “It just sets a terrible example of coaching and parenting.”

He encouraged anyone who recorded video of the disturbance to contact investigators at 316-268-4646.

The coach who was involved in the clash and pulled out a gun after being attacked has been relieved of his coaching duties, Burris said. His wife was also dismissed from involvement with the team.

“He’s been a great role model” for kids, Burris said of the coach, who has been with the Tigers for a few years and worked in the league for at least 15 years. “He’s really helped.”

Despite that background, Burris said, “you can’t take weapons out around children.”

Both the coach and his wife have concealed-carry permits for their weapons, he said.

League officials declined to comment on the incident, citing the ongoing police investigation.

“Nothing like this has ever happened in this organization,” said Burris, who said he has been affiliated with the Tigers for 20 years. “We pride ourselves on zero tolerance for anything that goes on.”

That’s why they released the boy from the team last year and why they dismissed the coach following the altercation Monday night, he said.

Burris and Crawford both said they planned to meet with parents of players to talk about what happened Monday night.

“We’re supposed to be good role models,” Crawford said.

Reach Stan Finger at 316-268-6437 or sfinger@wichitaeagle.com. Follow him on Twitter: @StanFinger.

Read more here: http://www.kansas.com/news/local/cri...#storylink=cpy

"We pride ourselves on taking action without considering the situation. If we had to use intelligent human judgement we'd instantly know the coach is not to blame here, but we have a very strict zero intelligence policy that decides these complex matters for us."

[Easy 6]

Originally Posted by Cannibal

People need to just get their CC and about it. I'm tired hearing about all gun nut hero vs bad guy bullshit. Really tired of it.

With so much anti-gun hoopla out there these todays, stories like this are damn well needed... "gun nut hero?"

Yeah man screw all of those sickening stories of innocent people stopping brutal crimes because they were smart enough to be armed.

If Sandor Clegane were alive today, he'd carry a big ass gun.

[KChiefer]

Originally Posted by Easy 6

If Sandor Clegane were alive today, he'd carry a big ass gun.

...and he'd use it to kill a butcher's innocent son