Nashville football coach speaks out about loss of former player in shooting

By Courtney Allen

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    NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WSMV) — A Middle Tennessee family is grieving after a shooting Wednesday in Nashville took the life of their son, 20-year-old Arondai Thompson. While the family didn’t feel like talking, they asked their longtime family friend and Thompson’s former football coach to speak on their behalf.

“He was like my own child,” family friend Brian Waite said.

Waite said he is in disbelief.

“What happened,” Waite asked. “What was going on? What caused the situation? Is this real?”

Waite’s former student and football player at East Nashville High, 20-year-old Arondai Thompson, was shot and killed this week.

“That hurts to hear one of your guys is gone,” Waite said.

Waite said he has known Thompson since he was in sixth grade, coaching him as the quarterback at East Nashville High School.

“Arondai became almost like a godson to me through that process,” Waite said.

Waite said he was a leader and honor student, earning a scholarship to Cumberland University. Waite said Thompson came back home due to personal reasons but was working to get back to school. On Wednesday night, his life was cut short.

“It is gut-wrenching especially losing a life to gun violence in such a senseless way,” Waite said.

Thompson died following a shooting on Robwood Drive, identifying 19-year-old Jamandas Mayberry as the shooter and arresting him Thursday. Two witnesses told police they were inside a vehicle with Thompson and Mayberry passing around multiple firearms.

The witnesses got out of the vehicle to play basketball and heard a gunshot shortly after. They ran back to the car where they saw Mayberry shaking Thompson. Police said Mayberry fled the scene, and witnesses drove Thompson to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Waite said he knows the witnesses involved but isn’t familiar with the alleged shooter.

“Disappointing just considering I feel like circumstances led him, our youth to feel like they need protection, circumstances leading our youth to make choices they shouldn’t have to make at such a young age,” Waite said.

Waite said he misses his relationship with Thompson and the opportunity to mentor him.

“That was my guy,” Waite said.

Mayberry was charged with criminal homicide. It is unclear how Mayberry and Thompson knew each other and to who the gun belongs.

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