Police: Coach Opens Fire During Youth Basketball Game In Southwest Philadelphia
By Mike Dougherty
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Police are searching for a man who pulled a gun and fired a shot inside a crowded gymnasium during a youth basketball game in Southwest Philadelphia.
It happened around 2 p.m. Saturday at the Christy Recreation Center on the 700 block of South 55th Street.
It was the second half of a basketball game when police say 26-year-old coach Maurice Tavares of Chester got into a heated argument with people in the bleachers.
Lieutenant John Walker says Tavares continued shouting, pulled a gun from his waist band and fired at the other coach, a 45-year-old man.
"It's a sad situation," he says. "You've got 70 kids in there, and it's a positive thing for the community going on. Obviously, these adults who are looked at as the coaches and people that these young kids are looking up to who clearly couldn't resolve conflict in the right way and used a gun to settle this."
Walker says fortunately nobody was hurt, but the gunfire sent the gym full of players, parents and fans scrambling for the exits. Tavares got into his car and drove away.
A warrant has been issued for his arrest.
