FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — South Fulton police are investigating after a 12-year-old had to be airlifted to a hospital during football practice.
People at the Old National Knights practice told Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Ashli Lincoln that the child wasn’t hurt playing football.
Witnesses say his coach pushed him down, and the boy collapsed shortly after. Officials did not identify the child but said he has been released form the hospital.
Plumes of dust filled the air Monday in the moments a 12-year-old was airlifted from Old National Park after suffering a severe injury.
Jill Lindsey says she came to the park after hearing about the incident.
She says she was stunned to learn the child’s injuries weren’t from football practice but allegedly from his coach.
“I don’t think a coach that mistreats a child should be a coach,” she said.
Parents told Channel 2 they witnessed the coach pushed the 12-year-old to the ground.
One person wrote on social media that the child got up, walked 30 yards then fell back down. Witnesses said the boy complained he couldn’t feel his legs and could barely talk.
Someone called 911, and police and EMS arrived. The 12-year-old was then airlifted to a trauma center.
In a statement, South Fulton police said they are in the process of gathering relevant facts, including speaking with witnesses, and would provide further updates later.
A man at the scene was taken into custody on unrelated outstanding warrants. Sources told Channel 2 that it was the coach, Jonathan Sagers.
He was arrested on outstanding charges from Atlanta police on drugs and weapons charges from an August incident.
Parents say because none of the lights around the football field worked, and the helicopter circled for minutes before landing on the baseball field, which had working lights.
Former coach Torrey Tomlinson says he watched on Facetime as frantic parents and coaches tried to guide the helicopter to land.
“I got a call from a coach. He was in distress, he was panicking saying, ‘Look at this,’” Tomlinson said.
Channel 2 cameras were at the park Tuesday morning and spotted workers repairing generators for temporary lights.
The city of South Fulton confirmed only some lights are operational. It blamed repeated vandalism and copper thefts for the outages.
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