Seventeen fatalities have been reported since the tragic shooting that took place at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida yesterday.
Assistant football coach and security guard, Aaron Feis, was the first of the victims to be identified. He graduated from the high school in 1999 and is survived by his daughter and wife Melissa.
Bravely diving between the shooter and his students to shield them from bullets, Feis died a true hero.
“It is with Great sadness that our Football Family has learned about the death of Aaron Feis,” MS Douglas Football posted in a tweet. “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”
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 pic.twitter.com/O181FvuHl3
— MS Douglas Football (@MSDEagles) February 15, 2018
Upon answering a walkie-talkie call complaining of “loud pops” inside the school, Feis quickly rushed in to assess the situation and protect those in danger. Head coach Willis May reported to the Sun Sentinel that one student said Feis jumped in front of the gunman and pushed her out of the way,
May, who was in his football office with a few players and coaches from Nichols College, thought the loud popping noises may be firecrackers when the shots first rang out.
“I heard Aaron say, ‘No, that is not firecrackers.’ That’s the last I heard of him,” said May.
“I heard he had used himself to shield other—I believe it was 3 females—in the line of fire,” one of Feis’ players, Colton Haab, told CNN. “He used his body to shield them. “