ATLANTA (WANF/Gray News) – A football coach at a Georgia high school is stepping down months after a deadly shooting occurred at the school.

Apalachee High School football coach Mike Hancock said he is resigning from his coaching position, six months after a shooting took the life of one of his assistant coaches.

“These past several months have been difficult on me both mentally and physically,” he shared in a social media post. “After much prayer and seeking spiritual guidance, I have decided to resign my position as head coach at the Chee.”

Richard “Ricky” Aspinwall, a math teacher and assistant football coach, was one of four people shot to death at Apalachee High School in September as he tried to protect others.

Two students, Christian Angulo, 14, and Mason Schermerhorn, 14, and another educator, Cristina Irimie, were killed.

Nine people – eight students and one teacher – were taken to area hospitals.

Hancock has been with the school for the past seven years.

“To be open and honest, I have been struggling with PTSD, anxiety, grief, and depression,” he said. “I allowed those things to cripple me for the past few months.”

Hancock said that he’s seeking help while encouraging others to do the same. He said he started attending sessions with a counselor and “learning to work through my anxiety, grief and depression.”

Hancock wrote that his new mission is to help other coaches “learn to work through any mental health issues that are a struggle for them.”

Current and former students say they are rooting for Hancock.

“I pray that he does get back to himself and is able to come back to coaching, but if he’s not and it’s too much for him, we all would have to understand,” former student Jodi Russell said.

The suspected shooter has been charged with four counts of murder. His father has also been charged with involuntary manslaughter, second-degree murder and cruelty to children.

Police said they believe the shooter’s father gave him access to the AR-15-style rifle that was used in the shooting.

Copyright 2025 WANF via Gray Local Media, Inc. All rights reserved.