Mob Attacks Coach At Wichita Youth Football Game Over Child’s Playing Time

A dispute over a youth football player’s playing time and eligibility escalated into a mob beating of a coach in Wichita Monday evening, and at least a few gunshots were fired. This was followed by another near riot at the same field Tuesday night, as groups of parents argued over what happened Monday.

At about 7:45 P.M. Monday night, according to The Wichita Eagle, a team from the Greater Wichita Junior Football League was practicing at Linwood Park in south Wichita. As of this post, it’s not clear the age group of the boys on the team involved involved in the dispute (the Wichita Tigers), but the Eagle notes that the peewee football league has divisions for players aged second through eighth grade.

Jeremy Burris, director of the Tigers football team, told the Eagle that the dispute involved a player who had played for at least three different teams in the youth football league, having been removed from the two previous teams for what he described as a “character issue.” Also, the player’s family would curse, play loud music, and generally be disruptive during games and practices, Burris said.

At Monday night’s practice, the mother of the youth football player in question approached the coach (who has not been named, as of this post, and who has since been removed from the team) to confront him about the boy’s playing time and eligibility. At some point, the boy’s father lifted up his shirt, revealing a gun tucked into his waist, then a group of men, one of whom allegedly used brass knuckles, began attacking the coach, until the coach’s wife produced her own gun and fired a warning shot, causing the crowd to scatter.

Wichita Police spokesperson James Espinoza, who is himself a youth football coach, believes that the event set a bad example for the kids.

“It’s upsetting to even hear a story like this. It just sets a terrible example of coaching and parenting.”

However, Monday night’s attack would not be the end of the dispute. According to KAKE (Wichita), on Tuesday night, at the same field, another group of individuals got into a dispute with a Tigers assistant coach, identified only as Tuwain, over whether or not it was appropriate to pull out a gun at a youth football league practice.

“That coach’s wife thought he was going to die. They hit him in the head with brass knuckles. He has a concussion and they were whooping him. Seven or eight of them. So of course, if you’re in fear of your life, that’s what you’re supposed to do. Protect your family.”

These two incidents mark the second and third time in just a few days that innocent people have been the victims of violent mob attacks. Last Saturday night, according to this Inquisitr report, a mob of youth violently attacked customers and employees at a Kroger grocery store in Memphis.

As of this post, no arrests have been made as a result of the attack. All of this weekend’s youth football league games are still scheduled to be played; however, there will be a heavy police presence at the games.

[Image Via sanjoseyouthfootball.com]