ST. LOUIS — On Wednesday afternoon, coach Shaquille Latimore held his wife's hand, walked slowly across a south St. Louis park and counted his blessings every step of the way.
"For sure man, I am a miracle. I beat the odds," said the man everyone calls Coach Shaq.
Last Tuesday, the 30-year-old Latimore was coaching his Bad Boyz Team during a practice at Sherman Park in north St. Louis when out of the blue he could not believe what happened.
"He kept shooting me man," said Latimore.
Latimore told police Daryl Clemmons pulled out a gun and shot him several times.
The coach says Clemmons was angry because his son was not a starting player on the youth football team.
Clemmons is in jail on assault and armed criminal action charges.
"He had no remorse whatsoever. I really believe he should face more charges," said Latimore.
"It was real hard because I didn't want my kids to know what was happening to him at the time, so I kept it from them until I felt comfortable to tell them their father is okay and he's coming home," said India Latimore, the coach's wife.
Paramedics rushed a wounded Coach Shaq to a hospital.
"A bullet hit me under my left arm, on my left forearm, my leg and one went through my lower back and out my liver. All of the bullets went through me. I was hit four times and grazed once. I still have bullet fragments in my body, I can still feel it, but by the grace of God man, I'm blessed and I'm still here," said the grateful coach.
"Still here" with his wife, their three kids, his parents and of course, his Bad Boyz Team.
Ten-year-old Antonio Gray couldn't wait to see his coach Wednesday.
"That's a hero. I look up to coach Shaq. I'm glad he's back," said Gray.
"I love those kids. I want to tell them to keep their heads up. This is what a fighter looks like," said Latimore.
Latimore said he is not happy with the City of St. Louis Recreation Division's decision because it suspended his team's participation in the CityRec Legend's Football League.
"I don't know why they did that really. Our team is one of the best teams in that league. I am disappointed with their decision," said Latimore.
In a statement, the City of St. Louis Recreation Division said the following:
"It is committed to ensuring our youth have a safe place to play sports and socialize. After a series of incidents perpetrated by adults which culminated in Tuesday's shooting, the Recreation Division decided to suspend the team's participation in the CityRec Legends Football League. League rules are in place to ensure the protection of our youth participants, ages 5 to 13, and we will continue to uphold the rules to ensure this football season is safe and successful."