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Coach 'Kadillac' Hailed As A Hero For Protecting Kids On The Field

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A youth football coach credited with saving lives.

His wrist bearing evidence of what happened when gunfire erupted near a football field filled with kids.

CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot talked to the parents who call him a hero.

Meantime parents said they can't thank him enough for his bravery.

"I'm just so grateful that none of those bullets didn't hit my children," said parent Jason Banks.

"He is truly a hero for being out there and getting those kids off the field," added Dorian Funches, another parent.

The parents are talking about the heroic actions of Karl "Kadillac" Lindsey.

When asked if he was grateful that none of the kids were hurt, Lindsey said "that's all I was thinking about."

Last Tuesday, Lindsey was coaching the La Follette Park Junior Varsity and Varsity Wildcats football teams on the field. About 30 children between the ages of eight and 12, were playing. As Lindsey was running plays with the players, he heard gunshots.

"I was like, 'everybody! Kids, get down! Get down! Get down!,'" said Lindsey.

A man was shooting at another man near the field. The man's target ran behind Lindsey who got shot.

A bullet entered the top of Lindsey's left wrist and exited below it, breaking it.  He was waving his writing hand in the air to warn the children when he was shot.

"Any of those kids could have got shot. I seen the guy. I was telling the guy 'why did you run over here,'" said Lindsey.

He cradled two kids in his arms after hearing eight shots fired.

"Coach Kadillac had my baby boy Caleb right in his arms as the bullet hit him, so it was just like, whoa!," said Banks.

Lindsey's eight-year-old son, Kareem, a player, was also on the field.

"He was standing over me, looking at me and I was like, 'man, I'm OK.'" remembered Lindsey.

As they work to put the traumatic moment behind them, one of coach Kadillac's players had a message for him.

"Is he OK and can he come back? Because he hasn't been to the game or the practices after that happened and we just had a game Saturday," said Christian Crape.

The coach will have to see a bone specialist Friday. He hopes he won't need surgery.

Police did arrest the alleged shooter, 19-year-old Junior Alicea.

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