Originally published June 25, 2009 at 12:00 AM | Page modified June 25, 2009 at 8:58 AM
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High-school coach gunned down in Iowa
A high-school coach who helped launch several professional football careers was gunned down in front of students Wednesday by a former player...
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PARKERSBURG, Iowa — A high-school coach who helped launch several professional football careers was gunned down in front of students Wednesday by a former player who was to have been taken to a psychiatric ward days earlier, authorities said.
Mark Becker, who was to have gone to the hospital psychiatric ward after allegedly leading police on a high-speed chase Saturday, unloaded several rounds into Aplington-Parkersburg High School football coach Ed Thomas and was arrested in the driveway of his parents' home soon afterward, said Kevin Winker, assistant director of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
Winker said he couldn't discuss what Becker's motive might have been or what he might have been doing in the days leading up to the shooting.
"Motive is one of those things we're looking into," Winker said.
School was not in session and Becker did not threaten any of the students who were in the weight room participating in an offseason workout, he said. Authorities did not release details about the gun that was used.
Cedar Falls Police Chief Jeff Olson said Butler County deputies had arrested Becker on Saturday after a chase through two counties. Deputies agreed to take him to a hospital psychiatric ward and request that Cedar Falls police be notified when he could be released. Cedar Falls police didn't hear anything more.
Thomas, 58, died at a Waterloo hospital. His shooting stunned the rural community of 1,800 residents 80 miles northeast of Des Moines, and it reverberated through NFL circles, where he was remembered as much for his faith as his winning record.
Named the NFL's 2005 high-school coach of the year, Ed Thomas amassed a 292-84 record and two state titles in 37 seasons as a head coach — 34 of them at Aplington-Parkersburg. He coached several players who went on to the NFL, including Green Bay Packers linebacker Aaron Kampman, Jacksonville Jaguars center Brad Meester, Detroit Lions defensive end Jared DeVries and Denver Broncos center Casey Wiegmann.
Copyright © 2009 The Seattle Times Company
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