(Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
In an incredible act of heroism, former 49ers assistant coach Keanon Lowe prevented a school shooting at Parkrose High School in Portland, Or. on Friday, when he tackled a student brandishing a shotgun on campus, according to The Oregonian.
Lowe is the school’s head football coach and security guard. The Portland native was a standout wide receiver at the University of Oregon from 2011-2014 and worked as an offensive assistant on Chip Kelly’s staffs with the Eagles in 2015 and the 49ers in 2016.
“I’m just happy everyone was OK,” Lowe said via The Oregonian. “I’m happy I was able to be there for the kids and for the community.”
Here’s an account of what unfolded before Lowe took action via The Oregonian:
About 10 minutes before the end of class, the student appeared in the doorway in a trench coat and pulled out a long gun from beneath his coat, said senior Justyn Wilcox, 17, who also was in the room.
The student didn’t point the gun at anyone, Senior Alexa Pope said. Classmates were stunned, some screamed and others ran out.
“We all couldn’t process this,” she said.
Wilcox yelled “Run!” and grabbed Pope’s arm. They fled out the classroom’s backdoor, which leads to another classroom. The armed student was at the classroom’s main door, which leads to a hallway.
“I think he deserves a lot of credit for his bravery,” A student said. “If it wasn’t for him, someone could have gotten hurt or potentially lost their life.”