Former Oregon wide receiver Keanon Lowe prevented a possible school shooting before it could happen Friday by tackling an armed male student at a high school in Portland, Ore., according to multiple reports.
According to The Oregonian, police and witnesses say Lowe tackled the student — who was wearing a trench coat and carrying a shotgun — in a hallway at Parkrose High School. Police say there were no injuries, nor are there any other suspects, and the gun was recovered at the scene.
“I’m just happy everyone was OK,” Lowe told the newspaper after being interviewed by police. “I’m happy I was able to be there for the kids and for the community.”
Lowe, who played for the Ducks from 2011 to 2014, coaches football and track and field at the school, where he also works as a security guard.
Several students told The Oregonian that the student, said to be an 18-year-old senior, appeared in a doorway of a classroom in the fine arts building, separate from the school’s main building, and pulled a shotgun from under his jacket. But no shots were fired before Lowe intervened.
“Incidents such as the one that occurred today strikes the worst fear in the hearts of students and parents,” police chief Danielle Outlaw said in a statement. “The officers and school staff worked together to respond quickly and ensure the safety of all involved. I commend the school staff member who displayed quick actions and bravery when he confronted the subject.”
Lowe, listed at 5-foot-9 and 186 pounds during college, had 68 catches for 891 yards and 11 touchdowns across four seasons at Oregon.
He tried out briefly for the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals before working under former Oregon head coach Chip Kelly in an undefined role with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2015.
