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On September 14, a football coach at California's Vallejo High school was shot while attempting to break up a fight. Videos of the moments leading up to the shooting have gone viral on social media platforms, raising questions about the level of gun violence in America.
In the footage of the incident, several young adults can be seen fighting in the streets outside the school as adults sprint towards them, attempting to pull them apart. One young man can be seen sitting on top of another, punching him. Another young person punches a boy as he attempts to run away.
In another clip, a group of young people can be seen struggling at the gates of the school, with the adults continuing to make attempts to pull them away from the fight, preventing them from rejoining the fracas.
While there is no known footage of the shooting itself, in another clip, several students can be seen behind the school gates, watching as a car drives away from the fight. A few moments later, gunfire erupted, making the students scream as they attempted to run back toward the school building. Authorities later reported that the three male occupants in the car fired the shots that hit the coach, identified as Joe Pastrana.
Vallejo Police stated that they reported at the scene at 3:50 pm, shortly after the altercation. They reported that Coach Joe Pastrana was transported to a local hospital for a gunshot wound to his hip. He is in stable condition.
The aftermath of the Vallejo high school shooting
As per the New York Post, after the shooting occurred, Vallejo High School was placed under lockdown.
Mike Wilson II, head football coach of Vallejo High School, told the Times Herald about the moment they discovered that Pastrana had been shot.
He said:
"When we found out what happened all practices were canceled. When it was safe we told everyone to go home."
In an official statement, a school district spokesperson said:
“Following protocol, the school was immediately placed on lockdown. At the time of the altercation and shooting, there was a college fair, three classes in session, and approximately 200 student-athletes on campus.”
Police Chief Shawny K. Williams told reporters in a press release that the suspects behind the shooting of Joe Pastrana have not been identified yet.
He said:
"The motive and circumstances involving this incident remain under investigation."
He went on to describe how the incident was symptomatic of endemic gun violence across the country.
He said:
“Gun violence is a public health crisis in our city as well as the United States, and we need to treat it as such. This was an act committed by people who do not value human life.”
NBC reported that in response to the shooting, Vallejo High School representatives told reporters that they would respond by increasing security around the campus. They said that mental health services will also be made available to any students who are affected by the incident.
