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Coach Shot Dead at Iowa School; Ex-Player Arrested

Adult gunman in custody

By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff

Posted Jun 24, 2009 12:30 PM CDT

(Newser) – A top Iowa high school football coach is dead after he was shot by a former player in the school’s weight room—with students nearby today, the Gazette of Cedar Rapids reports. Ed Thomas was shot point-blank in the head; no one else was hurt. The suspect, 24-year-old Mark Becker, is in custody. With a 292-84 record over 37 seasons, Ed Thomas was NFL high school coach of the year in 2005; he coached four NFL players.

Investigators work at the scene of a shooting at Aplington-Parkersburg High School in Parkersburg, Iowa, Wednesday, June 24, 2009.
Investigators work at the scene of a shooting at Aplington-Parkersburg High School in Parkersburg, Iowa, Wednesday, June 24, 2009.   (AP Photo/Waterloo Courier, Matthew Putney)
Crowds gather at the Parkersburg Elementary School in Parkersburg, Iowa after hearing that Aplington-Parkersburg High School athletic director Ed Thomas was killed.
Crowds gather at the Parkersburg Elementary School in Parkersburg, Iowa after hearing that Aplington-Parkersburg High School athletic director Ed Thomas was killed.   (AP Photo/Waterloo Courier, Matthew Putney)
This undated photo shows Aplington-Parkersburg High School athletic director Ed Thomas.
This undated photo shows Aplington-Parkersburg High School athletic director Ed Thomas.   (AP Photo/The Des Moines Register, Christopher Gannon)
This Sept. 5, 2008 photo shows Aplington-Parkersburg High School athletic director Ed Thomas leading his team onto the field.
This Sept. 5, 2008 photo shows Aplington-Parkersburg High School athletic director Ed Thomas leading his team onto the field.   (AP Photo/The Des Moines Register, Justin Hayworth)
A Covenant Medical Center Air Care helicopter lands at Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo, Iowa on Wednesday, June 24, 2009 carrying long-time Aplington-Parkersburg head football coach Ed Thomas.
A Covenant Medical Center Air Care helicopter lands at Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo, Iowa on Wednesday, June 24, 2009 carrying long-time Aplington-Parkersburg head football coach Ed Thomas.   (AP Photo/Waterloo Courier, Rick Chase)
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COMMENTS
Showing 2 of 2 comments
hamsammichs
Jun 24, 2009 10:16 AM CDT
Lumina, this was most likely a crime of passion. He was an ex-player of Coach Thomas, so maybe there was some outstanding beef, who knows. Thomas was essentially executed, one shot to the head. That leads me to believe that this jerkoff would have got his hands on a gun either way, no matter any gun law. Gun laws, to a certain extent, do absolutely nothing. In situations like these, there is nothing you can do. This guy had his mind made up. At any rate, what an absolute tragedy. I feel for this family and community.
kirei_gaisuto
Jun 24, 2009 6:19 AM CDT
Are you trying to make an idiotic point about gun rights? Or are you just trying to be a jackass?

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