ST. LOUIS — A Missouri father has received a 13-year prison term for shooting a youth football coach over his son’s playing time while practice was underway for youngsters aged 9 and 10. A jury convicted Daryl Clemmons, aged 45, of assault and armed criminal action related to the October 2023 incident, which left Shaquille Latimore, a volunteer coach for the City Rec Legends Football League, critically injured. Latimore was treated in the hospital but ultimately survived his wounds.
During the confrontation, both individuals were armed. Prosecutors detailed that the coach offered his firearm to a friend and suggested to Clemmons they engage in a fistfight. Clemmons, however, declined this suggestion, opting instead to shoot Latimore five times. After fleeing the scene, Clemmons later surrendered to authorities.
The aftermath led to the suspension of the football team due to what St. Louis officials termed “a series of incidents perpetuated by adults,” with this violent episode near Sherman Park being the culmination. Latimore expressed dismay over the suspension, deeming it unfair that the punishment would impact the entire team.
The defense insisted the shooting was an act of self-defense and has requested a new trial. The St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office indicated the conflict stemmed from disagreements over Clemmons’s son’s playing time in games.
“Violence, especially in youth sports, is completely unacceptable and undermines the purpose of these programs — teaching teamwork, discipline, and respect,” remarked Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore, following the jury’s verdict.
In response to the incident, the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis collaborated with city officials to provide counseling to players and witnesses impacted by the shooting, aiming to support the community in the attack’s aftermath.