Coach Is Shot Four Times in Front of His Players by Father Who Was Upset That His Son Didn’t Get More Playing Time

A Missouri football coach is recovering in hospital after being shot at a practice over a weeks-long argument about how much time one of the players was spending on the field.

Shaquille Latimore, 30, was gunned down in front of his football team of nine and 10-year-olds after an altercation erupted with a parent.

Daryl Clemmons, 43, is accused of firing bullets at Latimore which hit him in the leg, arm, back, abdomen and caused injuries to his internal organs.

Daryl Clemmons

Clemmons turned himself in at the North Patrol Division Station and was charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action the day following the incident, on October 11.

Latimore told authorities that the accused was ‘upset with him for not starting his son,’ according to a probable cause statement provided by the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office.

In an interview from his hospital bed, Latimore said, ‘I’m going to be OK. It’s more psychological than anything else.

‘I didn’t see his gun until it was already too late. I ran, and he shot me in the back. I fell and he shot me a couple more times.’

Latimore’s mother, SeMiko Latimore, said she was familiar with Clemmons’ ‘antics’ from previous practices.

‘He was a little extra. You always knew he was there.

‘Shaquille is one of those fair coaches, so he tries to rotate all of the kids in. The parent was a little unhappy and wanted his kid to do more than someone else and was upset the way things were being done,’ she said.

‘[The shooting] It is senseless. We’re supposed to be bringing these kids off the streets and teaching them what to do, what not to do. We’ve got all these kids traumatized because their coach was shot in front of them. He could have easily hit one of those children.’

Latimore said some other adults ‘shielded’ him while the accused ran away from Sherman Park, St Louis.

According to Missouri’s online court-reporting system, Clemmons has no attorney and remains jailed without bond.

Clemmons coached the 9U St. Louis Recreation League Bad Boyz a few years ago before Latimore joined as a volunteer assistant coach and works with his cousin.

‘After every game, he would try to critique me,’ Latimore said.

Darrell Jones, head coach, said when he heard the gunshot, he worried a child had been hit.

‘That was the first thing for sure. Then when I saw my brother, my cousin lying on the ground, that hurt, you know,’ said Jones.

Latimore too came to the practice with a gun but handed it to other parents.

‘I gave my gun to someone else to hold. I didn’t want [Clemmons] to feel threatened. I would’ve defended myself,’ he said.

Latimore is married and father of two daughters and three sons. His kids sometimes come to practices with him but weren’t there this week.

His family and friends are trying to raise money for his medical bills. The goal is set at $5,000 and is currently at $1,375.