HS Football Coach Claims Self Defense After Punching Parent on Sidelines

Video surfaced this week on social media of an assistant high school football coach in Michigan punching a parent on the sidelines of a game Friday. 

According to Fox 2, the video showed Lake Shore High School assistant Rob McFarlin assaulting a parent at Friday's game at Warren Woods Tower High School. 

The video showed players trying to separate the two men, both of whom have now been banned from Lake Short High School and its events. 

"It sounds to me that two adults didn't make the right decisions," parent Shannon Smith told Fox 2. "So just like anyone - there's a consequence to making the wrong decision."

The school commented that the parent had exited the stands and entered the field and confronted the McFarlin. 

 "I acted in defense of the students and coaching staff," McFarlin said in a statement. "Just before the incident seen on video, the parent came towards me, yelling and cursing about his son playing running back. He aggressively approached me and a few other parents. At first I thought he was heading back to the stands, but when I saw him moving towards the field wearing a black hood and with his hand in his pocket, heading toward the coaches and the kids, I acted to prevent any escalation of the situation."

But the school principal told FOX 2 that "Based on eyewitness accounts, the actions of the coach were not a matter of protection or fear of safety for students - it was out of frustration towards the parent."

Principal Janelle Bross added, "There is no tolerance for physical aggression or violence and that the actions of both men did not meet the expectations we have for members of our school community and therefore neither will be allowed on our property or at any future Lake Shore events."

The incident is currently under investigation by Warren police.