Mars coach reacts to situation after game: ‘Let’s stay calm’
Mars varsity boys basketball coach Rob Carmody was a sentence or two into a postgame locker-room speech to his players Friday, Feb. 3, night when he received word there might be an active shooter outside Mars Area High School.
Carmody was talking about what lessons could be gained from a heartbreaking loss after a hard-fought, triple-overtime home game with South Fayette “when we were informed there could be an active shooter, and were locked in.”
No one was injured, and no charges have been filed. He said a modicum of confusion followed the warning, followed by fear.
Carmody immediately regained control of the locker room and told the players and assistant coaches to text their families and tell them they were OK. He then cautioned them against using their phones to engage in the rumor mill, which likely would spread false information.
“I said ‘Let’s avoid that and stay calm,’” Carmody recalled.
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