‘He died a hero’: Tributes paid to football coach who shielded students in Florida shooting
Tributes have been paid to Aaron Feis, a “hero” assistant football coach fatally shot while shielding students from bullets in the Parkland, Florida school shooting on Wednesday.
Feis, also a security guard at the school, was killed when he sprinted toward the shooter and selflessly stepped in front of students as the gunman opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, killing 17 people and injuring a further 14.
It is with Great sadness that our Football Family has learned about the death of Aaron Feis. He was our Assistant Football Coach and security guard. He selflessly shielded students from the shooter when he was shot. He died a hero and he will forever be in our hearts and memories pic.twitter.com/O181FvuHl3
— MS Douglas Football (@MSDEagles) February 15, 2018
One student, giving an interview to Fox News in the aftermath of the shooting – the 18th of its kind recorded in the US this year – told of Feis’ brave attempt to save the students in his care.
“He sprinted with everything he had towards it to make sure everybody was safe, and I heard that he got in front of a couple people and shielded them, and he actually took the bullets for them,” the student said.
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Leading the tributes to Feis, the school’s Eagles football team posted on Twitter: “It is with Great sadness that our Football Family has learned about the death of Aaron Feis. He was our Assistant Football Coach and security guard. He selflessly shielded students from the shooter when he was shot. He died a hero and he will forever be in our hearts and memories.”
Rather than sharing details of the shooter, I choose to HONOR the bravery of HEROS like a Football Coach & security guard Aaron Feis. He stepped in front of students as shots were being fired. He took multiple bullets and later died. Aaron Fies, YOU ARE A HERO. pic.twitter.com/Y0czj16aSX
— Athletes In HS (@AthIetesInHS) February 15, 2018
one man’s bravery... amidst yet another in a never ending series of atrocious American mass shootings. Coach Aaron Feis, you are a hero. https://t.co/lbvUI291gD
— Chris Fowler (@cbfowler) February 15, 2018
Every one is talking about a disturbed kid or arguing about #GunControlNow. Lets talk about Aaron Feis. He was a football coach at the #floridaschoolshooting He stepped in front students sheilding them with his body. He was shot multiple times and died saving the kids he loved. pic.twitter.com/llc02CM6nQ
— Tim Kennedy (@TimKennedyMMA) February 15, 2018
Feis was a former student of MS Douglas, and played football for the Eagles, later becoming assistant coach after graduating in the class of 1999. He leaves behind a daughter and a wife.
The suspect in the shooting has been identified as 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz, who was apprehended while attempting to flee the scene. Cruz was charged on Thursday with 17 counts of premeditated murder and the wounding of the other 14 victims.
