Edmond football coach arrested
EDMOND — On Thursday night, a girl told a 911 dispatcher that job stress had driven an Edmond Santa Fe High School football coach to pick up a gun, fire it inside his home and hold it to his own head, threatening to shoot himself if police came.
Police responded to the call at 3216 Meriweather Road about 10:35 p.m. Thursday.
Family members told police that Larry Brian McWatters, 49, had weapons inside the home and that McWatters was distraught and had pointed a gun at a family member and fired it in the home. No one was hit by gunfire.
A police tactical team with a negotiator surrounded the house for hours before going in about 5:30 a.m. Friday and taking McWatters into custody, police spokeswoman Jenny Wagnon reported.
In a 911 call released Friday, a woman who identified herself as McWatters’ mother-in-law said he had pushed her.
“We need the police. My son-in-law has gone crazy, (he) put a knife to his throat. Please hurry, please. He’s got a gun pointed to his head,” she said.
After the phone call abruptly ended, the dispatcher called back and spoke with a girl who said McWatters was going to shoot himself if police came and that he still had a gun to his head. She thought McWatters had fired a round into the ceiling of the home.
“Can you turn the sirens off cause he’s going to shoot himself. He’s bipolar and he’s crazy. He’s very mentally ill, this isn’t the first time that he’s threatened to do something,” the girl told the dispatcher.
She told the dispatcher that there were “lots” of guns and ammunition inside the home.
“He just needs help,” she said.
McWatters was "upset about what he considered a demotion at his job and he was talking to his family about resigning," Edmond police reported in a court affidavit. Because of this conversation, McWatters got into an argument with his daughter and motherin-law, police reported.
On Friday, McWatters' wife, daughter and mother-in-law each filed requests for protective orders against him. In his wife's request, she wrote that he choked the motherin-law, pushed down the daughter, shot a hole in a wall and held the gun to himself.
McWatters has been employed as a football coach and teacher at Santa Fe High School since 2015, Edmond Public Schools officials confirmed. He has also had other jobs, such as a bus driver and teaching assistant, with the district since 1987, though not continuously.
Officials released a statement about McWatters' arrest Friday.
"Edmond Public Schools is aware of the arrest and pending charges against Mr. Brian McWatters. The district is cooperating fully with law enforcement in this matter. The parties involved in this incident are like family to us and we are committed to provide them the care and support they need at this difficult time. Equally important are the school families of those involved and we will take whatever steps are necessary to safeguard students and staff. Due to the serious nature of the pending charges, Mr. McWatters' employment is under review."
McWatters was jailed on complaints of pointing a firearm, discharging a firearm, domestic abuse, assault, and use of a firearm in commission of a felony.