Football coach died shielding students from gunfire during Florida high school shooting

Among the wounded in today’s school shooting in Parkland, Florida is a Aaron Feis, an assistant football coach at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

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He’s also being celebrated as a hero, according to the Miami Herald, citing tributes to the coach and reports on social media.

RELATED: There’s been a “mass casualty” shooting at a Florida high school — here’s what we know

Seventeen are dead and many more were injured in today’s mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. A shooter, identified as 19-year-old former student Nikolas De Jesus Cruz, opened fire on students beginning in the midafternoon on February 14th.

When the shooting started, Feis–a school security guard as well–reportedly stepped between the shooter and students, taking bullets in the act. He was reportedly hospitalized and is in critical condition.

Douglas Football player Charlie Rothkopf tweeted that his coach “took [several] bullets covering other students at Douglas.”

https://twitter.com/RothkopfCharlie/status/963921713418432512

The Miami Herald reports that Feis is a 1999 graduate of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School himself.

“He is a friend to all students that know him,” writes Angelica Losada, who identifies herself as a former student at the school. “Please, take a moment to send healing prayers for him.”

Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel said “a football coach” had died in the shooting but Israel did not identify the victim beyond that. It is not clear if Israel was referring to Feis.

UPDATE  – Feb. 15 9:04 a.m. 

A Twitter account for the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School football department announced Feis’ death early this morning.

“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.”

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