Home Oakley Freedom High Football Player Shot in the Face With BB Gun While Fundraising for the Team

Freedom High Football Player Shot in the Face With BB Gun While Fundraising for the Team

by ECT

On Monday, a Freedom High School freshmen football player was shot in the face with a BB gun and suffered a jaw injury while inside the home of a teammate as they were attempting to sell tickets as part of a fundraiser.

According to Traci Austin, she received a call at 5:48 pm from her son, Eugene Moses, 14, that he was hurt and needed to go to the hospital. She assumed he was at the school practicing football, but instead she was directed to a neighborhood near the school where he was covered in blood.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the BB is still lodged in Moses jaw and surgery at this time is deemed too dangerous. He is meeting with doctors next week to discuss options.

The incident occurred when Moses joined two of his teammates went inside one of their homes on Narcissus Court when one of the boys picked up the BB gun off the table and began pointing the gun around inside the home. He eventually pulled the trigger and that is when Moses was hit in the jaw.

“It is really unfortunate; I am upset he still has a bb gun pellet embedded in an important muscle in the jaw that makes it open and close. He can’t eat and is only on liquids and is only eating Jamba Juice,” said Austin. “It is just really unfortunate that no parents were notified, no chaperone, this could have been a loaded gun in someone’s house.”

Austin questions why she was never notified they would be off campus selling raffle tickets instead of practicing on the football field. She also is requesting a policy change and seeking the District would work on improving communication and ensuring there is proper adult supervision when students are off campus.

Freedom High School Principal Kelly Manke countered the claims of not being notified. She explained the school has had a long standing practice for the athletic teams to sell discount cards in the community to raise funds for their teams.

She highlighted that on July 31st that the football players received cards and a flyer explaining the fundraiser and the players were asked to take them home to their families. On August 8th a reminder email was sent to families that players would be selling their remaining cards in the community during practice on August 12.

Manke said on August 12th players went into the community to sell cards. Three players took it upon themselves to enter of the player’s homes. In the home, one player found a BB gun and accidentally fired the loaded BB gun, which resulted in an injury to another player.

“This is a very unfortunate accident and we are working with all the families involved,” said Manke.

Moses, who has been playing football since age 7, plays the running back position and his favorite team is the 49ers. With his injury, he currently cannot play football at this time and there is no estimated recovery time until more tests are completed.

Moses still wants to play football and hopes to get back on the field in the future.

A police report was filed with Oakley Police who are still investigating.

UPDATE

Oakley Police Chief Eric Christensen confirmed all three players in the case were juveniles and that officers were called because the mother wanted a police report.

Christensen stated:

Three kids are on the Freshman Football Team.  Instead of practice, the Football Coach decides to have the kids don their jerseys and go sell coupon books in the neighborhood.  The kids go to sell books like they have been told.  Three friends who are on the Freshman Team decide not to go sell books, but instead go to one of the kids’ homes.  While at the home, one of the kids grabs a BB gun that was out.  The kid starts waiving the gun around and pulls the trigger – hitting another kid in the face.  They do first aid for the injury and the kid goes home.  When the kid goes home, Mom sees the injury and takes the kid to the doctor.   The BB is still in the wound and the hospital did not want to risk further injury by removing it immediately.

Christensen also stated they are going to be referring the case to the District Attorney’s Office.

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28 comments

Get a Clue Aug 14, 2019 - 5:29 pm

Let’s blame everyone else except the people responsible for their actions. Your child decided to go into another players home and not sell stupid shit. While in the house your children were irresponsible and started to wave around a loaded BB Gun! It went off and hit another irresponsible child’s face. How the fuck is this the schools problem? Sounds like your kids are assholes and well pretty damn stupid and you should teach them to make smarter decisions.

Heather graham Aug 14, 2019 - 10:09 pm

Lol, Right?

TJ Booker Aug 17, 2019 - 9:04 am

I completely agree. This investigation sounds like a waste of money and as a parent, you should know where your kid is, what they’re doing, and that they aren’t going to do some stupid shit to procrastinate instead of getting out into the community or working with their team. Lady, you’re wasting your time and you aren’t taking responsibility for your own child. And to the kid, get your head together and start hanging out with better people who are driven and more educated. Thank god this wasn’t a real gun.

dennis Aug 14, 2019 - 6:32 pm

How the hell is this an accident the fucking idiot that pointed the bb gun at him is a piece of shit ?

Tammy Aug 15, 2019 - 12:11 pm

The moron was TOLD that the BB gun was loaded and not to screw around with it! He pulled the trigger anyway!

Get a Clue Aug 15, 2019 - 1:54 pm

I am confused with Tammy lmao so does this make it right? Were you there? Are these your kids? Your house? Lmao

martin nmn Aug 15, 2019 - 5:47 pm

Hey “Get a Clue” — practice what your chosen name means …… Several sources reported what went on so one doesn’t have to be standing there by the IDIOT KID who was stupid enough to pull this stunt!

Yes! Obviously, you are confused!

Scott Aug 14, 2019 - 7:45 pm

Who writes these headlines?

He wasn’t out fundraising, he was at his friends house goofing around with a pellet gun. This would be a lot more accurate if it read:

Student shot at friends house with BB gun

This is some shameful journalism that isn’t even remotely close to the truth.

Bob Grant Aug 15, 2019 - 5:53 pm

Check out this story on page B2 — “Prep football player is hurt in accidental BB gun shooting” — in the Local News section of EAST BAY TIMES (15 Aug 2019) by Rick Hurd and George Kelly, who always get it right. No shameful journalism there. By the way, “truth is relative.” I bet you’ve never heard that before!

Robert Aug 17, 2019 - 8:09 am

Your comment is on the mark, Scott.

Jason Aug 15, 2019 - 12:24 am

This is no “accident” as the dumb idiot kid POINTED the BB gun at the victim and SHOT HIM! It’s IS the school’s problem when they have this tradition of having kids go out “into the community” (who today even knows what this “community” consists of!)

I would NEVER allow any of our kids to go out and sell something to people they didn’t know.

Get a Clue Aug 15, 2019 - 5:31 am

It was after school, also they sent out letters telling the parents of the event. So, the parents should have been aware and could have prevented this

RThomson Aug 15, 2019 - 5:26 am

Way to further the fake news. This right here is a grade A prime example of why nobody trusts the media these days. Why not just stick to the facts instead of hyperbole and spin? He wasn’t out fundraising. He was messing around with other kids and playing with a gun. This is why you need to learn to code.

Sorcerer Aug 15, 2019 - 6:03 pm

So, you’re saying that the kid shot himself in the face? Is that it?

Karen Aug 15, 2019 - 8:22 am

Stupid kid who pulled the trigger, good thing it was only a BB gun, Still, he could have put the guys eye out. Hope the injured boy will be ok. Hope the other boy has leaned a huge lesson. Never ever point a gun at someone. Always assume it could be loaded even when you are sure it is not.

Daniel Sparks Aug 15, 2019 - 10:49 am

I have re read this article a couple of times and really don’t understand why it is “Fake news” The boys were supposed to be out selling, instead they went into one of their homes. The school did send e-mails and also take home notices to inform the parents that instead of practicing that day they will be selling shit. I don’t see how you can blame the school or accuse the writer of this article of fake news. Parents should start taking responsibility for their kids and stop blaming others for their shortcomings. I can see why their is a shortage of good teachers, they are tired of your shit head kids. Why the fuck are your children playing with BB Guns in the house, not to mention pointing them at each other’s face. Parents or the school? Who is to blame for this? PARENTS!!!!! Teach your kids to not be assholes

Elizabeth Aug 15, 2019 - 5:57 pm

I am totally against ANY school trying to make sales people out of students. It’s dangerous to go door-to-door today and sell things. You have no idea what kind of nut case lives in your community. Our kids are NOT allowed to do that. If the school wants to raise money, then hold a bake sale at Farmers Markets.

Nick Aug 17, 2019 - 7:16 pm

It’s not dangerous for a kid to go door to door in a nice neighborhood where you know the neighbors. I wouldn’t do it in a bad neighborhood, whether I knew anyone or not.

K Aug 15, 2019 - 6:01 pm

Dumb kids, even dumber headline

Dawn Aug 15, 2019 - 6:07 pm

All kids need to be supervised —– 24/7

Richard Aug 16, 2019 - 1:37 am

If the school sends you letters saying the kids will be fundraising for the team, tell the school NO WAY!

Black Lives Matter Aug 16, 2019 - 9:03 pm

I will say it. If it was a white boy that got shot by a black boy than we would make this a bigger deal. It was a black bit who got shot so nothing is or will ever happen. We will brush this under the rug and forget all about, or blame the little black kid. Stand up my broth and sisters #injustice #BLM

Robert Aug 17, 2019 - 8:08 am

What does this story have to do with race? Seems to me that you’re the one reading that in.

TJ Booker Aug 17, 2019 - 9:10 am

Yeh these kids have their identities protected because they are minors. And look at his name, Eugene Moses… I cant tell if he’s black, white or Latino. Black lives matter is a movement for inclusion and peace. But there is no reason to bring race into this article just to try and single out another black kid. They haven’t described anyone’s race… no proof. Peace!

Tammy Aug 19, 2019 - 3:40 pm

Hey BLM! What is a black “bit?”

Robert Aug 17, 2019 - 7:47 am

Your headline is misleading. According to your own story, the incident occurred when these juveniles were fooling around with the weapon at one youth’s home – NOT while they “were fundraising for the team.” That may be what they were supposed to be doing but clearly they were not. You need to write your stories with more care for the facts.

Antioch-Pittsburg Highway Aug 17, 2019 - 8:58 am

The real gun and fundraising story is top new on MSNBC online. A jail guard was at home hearing teenagers making noise because they were goofing each other while fundraising for football team. She didn’t know they were fundraising and got her gun because a week ago she had her home broken into while he was at work. She held four boys at gunpoint until police arrived. This made national news because she is white and all four boys are black. This is the real fundraising vs. gun story. The one printed here is kids play with loaded BB gun and one is shot in face. Fundraising only brought the boys together but were not fundraising at time of incident.

k Aug 17, 2019 - 4:37 pm

What is ECT trying to get at with the misleading headline?

Comments are closed.