Houston youth baseball coach shot during pregame prayer with players; 3 suspects in custody
Share and Follow

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Three suspects have been charged after a Houston youth baseball coach was wounded in a shooting during a pregame prayer with players on Sunday.

Mahmood Abdelsalam Rababah, 23, Ahmad Mawed, 21, and Mustafa Mohammad Matalgah, 27, were arrested on felony charges of deadly conduct with a firearm, the Waller County Sheriff’s Office said. They were each being held on $100,000 bond. 

The chaos unfolded at Ameripark youth baseball field, known as The Rac, in the town of Katy, after three people fired weapons from a nearby pasture in the direction of the field as a youth baseball event was ongoing, the sheriff’s office said. 

Video of the incident showed the 12-year-old Texas Colts players in light blue jerseys running frantically for cover as bullets flew past them. One adult appeared to be struck and fell to the ground near home plate.

Houston Warriors founder Andy Baize told KHOU-TV that after the coach was shot during a pregame prayer with his team, the wounded man’s first reaction was to protect the children.

“He literally took the bullet for a child that was to his left, and so thankfully we avoided a major disaster,” Baize said. “Still very, very emotional over it.”

Wooden sign for The Rac baseball field

A sign for The Rac baseball complex in Katy, Texas, in September 2025. Owners of The Rac confirmed that a baseball coach was injured in a shooting. (FOX26 Houston KRIV)

One mother, who spoke anonymously to FOX26, said she has safety concerns following the shooting.

“I can assure you we will not be going back to The Rac Katy, probably not The Rac Waller either, but we actually had a meeting with all the boys individually, all the parents did, and overwhelmingly, consensus was, ‘I don’t want to go back to that place. That’s where guns are.’ So we will not be going back there,” she said.

The Rac said in a statement following the arrests that it would take extra security precautions during certain events.

“In addition to the efforts of local law enforcement, we have implemented enhanced security measures for all tournament weekends,” the statement said. “We look forward to welcoming back our players, coaches, and families, with their safety and peace of mind at the forefront.”

Fox News Digital’s Peter D’Abrosca contributed to this report.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Trump explodes as he claims Obama's AG is leading secret Democrat plot

Trump Alleges Secret Democrat Plot Led by Former Obama Attorney General

Donald Trump has expressed strong opposition to former Attorney General Eric Holder’s…
Cop describes recognizing Luigi Mangione when he pulled down mask at McDonald's

Police Officer Identifies Masked Luigi Mangione During McDonald’s Encounter

Last year, in an Altoona McDonald’s, a Pennsylvania police officer encountered Luigi…
Lisette Monroe lost her beloved sister to murder. She hopes an execution will bring some peace

Seeking Closure: Lisette Monroe Hopes Execution Brings Peace After Sister’s Tragic Murder

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — In 1988, Lisette Monroe was a young mother…
'Avatar: Fire and Ash' stars Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, James Cameron attend LA premiere

Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver Shine at Star-Studded ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ LA Premiere with Director James Cameron

The highly anticipated world premiere of “Avatar: Fire and Ash” took place…
Ukraine puts land swaps and elections on the table for Putin meeting

Ukraine Proposes Land Swaps and Elections in New Peace Talks with Putin

Ukrainian leaders have recently engaged in extensive discussions with senior U.S. diplomats…
Quentin Tarantino names his top ten films of the 21st century

Quentin Tarantino Reveals His Top Ten Films of the 21st Century

Quentin Tarantino has unveiled his picks for the top ten films of…
WestJet airline under fire after agent tears up passenger’s boarding passes for filming bumped flight dispute

WestJet Faces Backlash After Agent Destroys Passenger’s Boarding Passes During Filming of Flight Dispute

A major Canadian budget airline is facing criticism after a staff member…
Pittsburgh Steelers abruptly cut Super Bowl-winning cornerback

Steelers Make Surprising Move by Releasing Veteran Super Bowl Champion Cornerback

Darius Slay found himself sidelined as a healthy scratch during the Pittsburgh…