Friends, Family Remember Football Coach Shot To Death In Elk Grove

ELK GROVE (CBS13) — A shooting on Tuesday night left an Elk Grove man dead. His family and friends gathered at T. R. Smedberg Middle School 24 hours later to remember the good-hearted man they called Flex.

"It's shocking to me," said Carl Williams. "My dude Flex was a good man!"

Leslie Stafford, 36, died Tuesday night after being shot in the head outside of his home.

Friends call him a family man and a beloved football coach, who was always willing to help those around him.

"This is crazy," said Williams, a longtime friend of Stafford's. "He didn't live any way but good and positive, you know, what I mean so I don't understand this."

Elk Grove Police Department is still investigating what led up to the shooting. Neighbor Andre Porter told CBS13 he heard three gunshots on Spring Flower Drive.

"I hear screaming, you look out the window, and I can see his kids out there," he said. "So I ran outside and go next door to see what's going on. And then I see him laying in his doorway."

Stafford was one of the coaches for the Sheldon Jr. Huskies Football Team. His close friend Andre Hicks took a moment at Wednesday night's vigil to give the players encouraging words.

"Live for him, when you think about making a bad decision, don't do it," Hicks said. "Play ball, study!"

Stafford leaves behind his wife Tremeka and four children, just three days after his oldest daughter celebrated her 16th birthday.

"This sister is goin' need you," said George Taylor, a friend of Stafford. "The families goin' need you. Friends are going to need you."

Police say no suspects have been identified yet.