Watch: This high school coach gave a tight hug to a gun-wielding student after disarming him
A huge tragedy was averted.
CCTV footage from a high school in Oregon, USA shows a moment of compassion and bravery on the part of an educator. High school sports coach Keanon Lowe was called to the Fine Arts building to help diffuse a situation on May 17, 2019. However, footage of the incident only surfaced on October 20, 2019.
The video shows him already having acquired the shotgun, and leading the student outside the classroom. He then proceeds to embrace the student, holding him tight despite mild resistance. Eventually, the student is seen crying.
According to a CNN report, the student did not intend to harm his classmates, but was suffering from a mental health crisis. Having only one bullet in the gun, his plan was to commit suicide in the classroom. The coach said, “I felt compassion for him; a lot of times, especially when you’re young, you don’t realise what you’re doing until it’s over.”