Missouri Southern football coach killed outside movie theater

On the school’s homecoming weekend, Missouri Southern State University assistant football coach Derek Moore was fatally shot as he was leaving a movie theater Friday in Joplin, Mo., according to police.

“It is not a random shooting. It was targeted,” Sgt. Jared Delzell told the Los Angeles Times. The motive is under investigation, Delzell said.

Police responded to reports of shots fired at 9:50 p.m. Friday outside the Northstar 14 movie theater, according to police. Moore, 37, was rushed to a hospital, where he died of his injuries.

An officer arrived at the theater minutes after the shooting and took one man into custody.

On Saturday, the Jasper County Prosecutor’s Office filed charges against Jeffrey L. Bruner, 39, of class A felony murder and armed criminal action. Bruner was being held at the Joplin City Jail without bail.

Delzell said information about the number of shots fired and Moore’s injuries would not be released until after the autopsy.

Moore was in his first year at Southern Missouri as an offensive line coach and had a total of 14 seasons of collegiate football coaching under his belt, according to a statement released Saturday by the school. Missouri Southern is a small, public four-year university in Joplin. The homecoming football game, scheduled for Saturday, was postponed.

“We are stunned and deeply saddened by this tragic incident, and our prayers are with Derek’s family,” said MSSU Interim President Alan Marble in the statement. “We are ensuring that our employees and students have the emotional support they need during this difficult time.”

Moore had a 7-year-old son, the school said.

Some members of the Joplin community reacted to Moore’s death through social media:

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