A group of four dads in Texas are being hailed as heroes after they stopped a gunman at a high school band competition in Pasadena. On Saturday night, an 83-year-old man entered Pasadena Memorial High School with a gun and opened fire, shooting and injuring a man in his mid-twenties. A witness says someone tackled the suspect before the group of fathers disarmed and restrained him until police arrived.
The shooter told police he thought someone was chasing him and he feared for his life. He was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and is in custody. The four fathers who intervened, Air Force veteran Abram Trevino, Army veteran Adam Curow, Marine Corps veteran Efrain “Polo” Castillo, and Houston police sergeant Joe Sanchez, all had military or law enforcement backgrounds.
The community has praised the group, now being called the “Pearland Dads,” since their kids all attend Pearland High School. School superintendent Larry Berger recognized their courage, saying that their response made them heroes. Harris County Constable Mark Herman also commended their quick action in subduing the suspect. The fathers are downplaying their role, saying they were just helping at the band competition when they reacted to the unfolding crisis.