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Joe Pastrana: 'Courageous' football coach shot after trying to stop mass brawl outside Vallejo High School

Joe Pastrana whose condition is now stable was shot in the upper hip by a suspect driving a black four-door Audi on Nebraska Street

VALLEJO, CALIFORNIA: Joe Pastrana, an assistant football coach at Vallejo High School, was shot in front of the school on the afternoon of September 13. The horrifying event was all documented on film. Pastrana, the defensive coordinator for the football team was shot after breaking up a fight between several students and several "unknown males" on the campus. 

Around 3.40 pm, as the school day was coming to a conclusion, Joe Pastrana whose condition is now stable was shot in the upper hip by a suspect driving a black four-door Audi on Nebraska Street. Josh Ramos, the athletic director and head baseball coach at Vallejo High has told Times Herald that the shooter is not a student. Joe Pastrana is now in stable condition. 

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The shooting allegedly took place in front of Vallejo High School in Northern California after school concluded on Tuesday, September 13 at about 3.45 pm, as per the Vallejo Police Department.  Police said that some of the parties involved got into a car and started firing backward while speeding away after being separated. Unfortunately, one of the rounds injured Pastrana, according to authorities. When multiple gunshots were heard, everyone was seen scurrying for shelter while a bystander recorded the entire incident on tape. “The motive and circumstances involving this incident remain under investigation," authorities said in a statement this week.

While getting ready for practice, the squad learned about Pastrana, head coach Mike Wilson III told Times Herald, and they "took the news very hard." Pastrana is in stable condition at a nearby hospital, said Wilson when asked about the heroic lifesaver. Ramos, the athletic director described how the drama unfolded in the same interview, “Everyone was in the locker room (north of the shooting) getting dressed for practices when we heard something was happening. So I said, ‘Hey let’s just wait here for a minute or two before we find out what’s going on.’ When we found out what happened all practices were canceled. When it was safe we told everyone to go home," he said.

Pastrana was hailed for his bravery by VP Police Chief Shawny Williams, who said, “This is a very courageous staff member that potentially saved another child’s life or multiple people’s lives." Although, the Vallejo Police Department Detective Division is still in search of the individuals who shot Pastrana and caused unrest with their violence.