Ed Thomas, the Parkersburg district football coach, was shot dead by a former player and student.

The student is a former Aplington-Parkersburg player and student and has been arrested and charged with first degree murder.

Thomas was airlifted from Aplington-Parkersburg High School by helicopter to the Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo but died of injuries sustained by the gunshot shortly after he was admitted.

Thomas has been the school’s coach for nearly three decades. He has nearly 300 career victories, and four of his former players have played in the NFL.