Northside football player injured in shooting

WARNER ROBINS -- Northside football head coach Kevin Kinsler said senior defensive end Austin Roberts is “alive, and he’s gonna be OK,” after Roberts was shot in the back at a neighborhood gathering Sunday afternoon.

Kinsler discussed Roberts’ condition at about 8:30 p.m. on Sunday while driving to the Medical Center to visit Roberts. Kinsler said the update he got on Roberts’ condition came from Roberts’ family.

According to former Northside head coach, Roberts was treated and released later Sunday.

“It could have been a lot worse,” Kinsler said.

Kinsler and his staff were at their regular Sunday meeting when a call came in at about 6:30 p.m. that Roberts had been injured in a shooting. Kinsler said his information was sketchy, but it was his understanding that Roberts was at a gathering that turned confrontational.

“Somebody started shooting, and everyone scattered. (Roberts) just happened to get hit in the back,” Kinsler said.

Roberts was a Telegraph All-Middle Georgia selection for the 2011 season. He was a preseason All-Middle Georgia selection in 2012.

This story was originally published September 2, 2012 at 9:26 PM with the headline "Northside football player injured in shooting."