Iowa High School Coach Shot To Death

[HT/Cedar Rapids Gazette]

Aplington-Parkersburg High School football coach Ed Thomas has died after being shot multiple times among students at the school’s weight room this morning, officials have confirmed.

Thomas was shot at point blank range, including once in the head, according to the school's business manager Pat Gosch. No one else was injured in the incident.

The suspected gunman is in custody.

The family of Ed Thomas released a statement through Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo:

"The family of Ed Thomas would like the media to know that Ed passed away shortly after arriving at Covenant Medical Center," the statement read.

Sports secretary Sue Muller said Thomas was supervising the early-morning weightlifting in Parkersburg when the shooting happened around 8 a.m. About 50 students were present at the time.

Thomas was life-flighted to Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo, Muller said.

An adult male believed to be the gunman was arrested after the incident was taken to the Butler County Jail in Allison. When asked if the man was a parent of a student, Butler County spokeswoman Holly Fokkena said, "not that I'm aware of, no."

"We do want to articulate, because I'm sure there are a lot of concerned parents, that no students were hurt or injured in this incident," said Jessica Lown, spokeswoman for the Iowa Department of Public Safety.

Counselors are on scene for students, including several who witnessed the shooting.

Thomas has coached football for 37 years and has a career record of 292-84. He has led the Falcons to 19 state playoff appearances and two state titles, in 1993 and 2001.

Thomas is one of the most well-known and successful high school football coaches in the state of Iowa. He was honored as the NFL High School Coach of the Year in 2005 and four of his former players are in the NFL. That 4-some is Green Bay's Aaron Kampman, Jacksonville's Brad Meester, Detroit's Jared DeVries and Denver's Casey Wiegmann.

Here's a statement Iowa governor Chet Culver:

"It's just awful. My thoughts and prayers are for Coach Thomas and his family and the Parkersburg community. I know him well. I've been a real fan of his. As an old coach myself, he epitomizes what it means to be a high school football coach. He's just a legend. He's an incredible role model for the generations of kids in the Parkersburg area. He's someone that I really admire a great, great deal. He was instrumental in bringing Parkersburg back (after the 2008 tornado)."

Photo Courtesy: Justin Hayworth/Des Moines Register