Iowa HS Football Coach Gunned Down

[Thunderstruck84]

Ed Thomas shot, killed inside school (http://sports.espn.go.com/highschool/rise/football/news/story?id=4283443)


PARKERSBURG, Iowa -- Ed Thomas, who has produced four NFL linemen as the football coach at tiny Aplington-Parkersburg High, was shot and killed Wednesday inside the school's weight room, authorities said.

The gunman, identified by authorities as 24-year-old Mark Becker, shot Thomas multiple times just before 8 a.m. local time, authorities said.


What a tragic story xsmhx

Any Iowans know what sort of motive this lunatic would have to do this?
Apparently he was a former player for Thomas, but I don't know what would drive a person to do something like this to a community and statewide icon.

RIP Ed Thomas, thoughts and prayers to his family, friends, and fans.

[Go...gate]

Unbelievable!! xnonono2x

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

The only saving grace is the guy who killed him will have horrid remainder of his life. I'm sure everyone from Parkersburg, IA will see that Mr. Becker fries or rots in the least hospitable way. A HS football coach can often be the real ruler of a small town and Coach Thomas seems to be beyond that. This guy was basically the town saint.

[Cocky]

http://http://cmsimg.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?

[CrackerRiley]

Former player still had a grudge from not making first team, or what? The guy is 24.
Get over it buddy. It was high school football... xrolleyesx

[mebisonII]

Sounds like he was supposed supposed to have been in a pysch ward and a lack of communication resulted in him be released from there without local law enforcement knowing:

http://www.press-citizen.com/article/20090624/HAWKS0104/90624002/1079



Mark Becker, who was supposed to have been taken to a hospital psychiatric ward after allegedly leading police on a high-speed chase Saturday night, unloaded several rounds into Aplington-Parkersburg High School football coach Ed Thomas and was arrested at a nearby 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 for the slaying might have been, or what Becker might have been up to in the days leading up to the shooting.

"Motive is one of those things we're looking into," Winker said.



According to court records, Becker threatened a Cedar Falls homeowner with a baseball bat Saturday night, smashed windows at the home and rammed his car through its garage door before leading police on a high-speed chase.

Cedar Falls Police Chief Jeff Olson said Wednesday that Butler County deputies arrested Becker after a chase through Grundy and Butler 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, but on Tuesday, Becker was released from custody.


Sheriff's department is going to take some flak for this one:

http://www.press-citizen.com/article/20090624/NEWS01/90624008/1079