![Coach Aaron Feis died in the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Broward County on Feb. 14, 2018. [Instagram]](https://www.tampabay.com/resizer//SPbA2U_zIPS4Sp6F__knT0hNUXs=/426x0/smart/filters:format(webP)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tbt.s3.amazonaws.com/public/C5XQKDWEU4I6TKTRIBWI6S7HAY.jpg "Coach Aaron Feis died in the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Broward County on Feb. 14, 2018. [Instagram]")
When a shooter opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Broward County on Wednesday afternoon, reports emerged on Twitter of a football coach jumping in front of students to protect them from the shooter.
Coach Aaron Feis was initially said to be dead, eliciting tributes on social media. Subsequent posts, including by a fellow coach, said he was wounded but had survived the shooting.
"Coach Feis has not passed. He was shot but is not dead," Jordan May, the son of Stoneman Douglas High head football coach Willis "Peanut" May and himself a member of the coaching staff, said on Twitter. Willis May was in his office when the mass shooting occurred and escaped harm, his son said.
By 9 p.m., the hope that had been rekindled on Twitter was extinguished. Broward Sheriff Scott Israel announced that "a beloved football coach is dead." He did not name the coach.
Feis graduated from Stoneman Douglas High in 1999 and worked at the school for his entire coaching career, according to his bio on the school's website.
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
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
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/UD4IDQTGHFFUZM43GMJ7RO2ZFE.JPG "Keep up with Tampa Bay’s top headlines")
Keep up with Tampa Bay’s top headlines
Subscribe to our free DayStarter newsletter
You’re all signed up!
Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? Let’s get started.
Explore all your optionsSome heroes wear Gatorade towels over their shoulders. Aaron Feis sacrificed his body for his students in the Florida school shooting. pic.twitter.com/o5cHEtd28f— Brandon Galambos (@gbos_23) February 15, 2018
Some heroes wear Gatorade towels over their shoulders. Aaron Feis sacrificed his body for his students in the Florida school shooting. pic.twitter.com/o5cHEtd28f
May Aaron Feis, whom I have just learned has died from the shots he received shielding others during today's school shooting, forever rest in peace known as the hero he truly knew to be in a time of crisis.— Tyler Barton (@TylerBarton27) February 15, 2018
May Aaron Feis, whom I have just learned has died from the shots he received shielding others during today's school shooting, forever rest in peace known as the hero he truly knew to be in a time of crisis.
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
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
MORE ON THE PARKLAND SHOOTING
PREVIOUS STORY: 17 dead, 15 wounded, former student in custody after Broward school shooting
ABOUT NIKOLAS CRUZ: 'Something was off' about shooting suspect
RELATED: Student live tweets Broward shooting from inside the school
RELATED: Florida Democrats say school massacre a call for gun control
RELATED: White supremacist claimed ties to Parkland shooter. His group has less than 10 members.
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/4Ep_ykkx9M3Ms_gdu0h7-i1xWKU=/1200x675/filters:focal(1255x635:1265x625)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/VKLUEXW2RVFBPKSHPTHA7A2QTM.JPG "Ex-Florida Gators captain Tony Joiner pleads no contest to 2016 murder")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/ygHSaj4RfcjcOzbcumBAumJXrkM=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/7C5YQ52GRVFFRHUJULJQNNADLU.jpg "‘Inconvenient truths’ is letter of the month | Letters")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/wnd5Hd9Rpkmysd5hv0b7kYu0fsc=/1200x675/filters:focal(490x215:500x205)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/4P2BGYSPQWLOCTNWUMDHDFVSTA.jpg "Jokic, Murray have triple-doubles, Nuggets beat Heat for 2-1 series lead")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/k4-2cNnOQj8RMzBCoMDWwPNURyI=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/A4O7IX7COVHXRPDLMRKM4I3ZJE.jpg "So much for rust: Nuggets roll over Heat in NBA Finals opener")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/ogZDuWYMt9B8rKMFiVvI9qRBEOo=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/74X4YXHMVNAONEBIA7R7ZNDXWM.jpg "Florida Gators win NCAA golf championship")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/NLASiSVb8utBWBXYx54YHv3F_A4=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/CVYXGBWD73NUDT3CMQ566FWJEY.jpg "Heat roar back in 4th quarter, beat Nuggets in Game 2 of NBA Finals")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/6CGTpT0hIJN4JTXOJejRWdNHEvo=/1200x675/filters:focal(957x894:967x884)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/7XZYC7PUSZBJFACHZAGOW5JSOQ.jpg "Pinellas school board candidate supports DeSantis’ choice agenda")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/BgtYKYn3o7AybcZDeZ3yI-bxSHk=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/XOHRVXPDMBHSLLBOHDSXBOROFQ.jpg "Rays’ Brandon Lowe frustrated as he deals with another back issue")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/xJWvI7mRxcRUMXQcy-x8wPccmu0=/1200x675/filters:focal(1295x655:1305x645)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/BNXHP5TFYNEETDTIDWF3522TYE.JPG "Rays aren’t worried about visit from AL West-leading Rangers")
/www.tampabay.com/resizer/bLVHcJ7w66A14S3Q8a4vS5vQRCc=/1200x675/smart/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/XGFD42YCTFFWHDCXVZ6V7ZIINY.jpg "24 Tampa Bay summer concerts for every type of music fan")