A crazed sports parent turned a youth basketball game into a nightmare for one Kentucky elementary school on Jan. 31.
There was panic at Walton-Verona Elementary School when 28-year-old dad Steven Hamblin brandished a gun after arguing with a basketball coach that his son didn’t get enough playing time. As one commenter put it on X, file this one under adults behaving like “lunatics.”
According to an incident report obtained by local news station Fox19 Now, the altercation began when Hamblin approached the coach to complain about his son’s limited court time. Spectators say the two men were separated after the argument turned physical, but Hamblin soon returned with a handgun and waved it around as he darted back and forth in a parking lot filled with young children and parents. He reportedly pointed the gun at seven people.
Witnesses told police that Hamblin repeatedly threatened the group, saying he was “going to shoot” while brandishing his weapon — although no shots were fired, reportedly.
After fleeing the scene, authorities caught up with him at his home in Kenton County, Kentucky, where he was arrested. Hamblin told police he was acting in self-defense after his family was allegedly threatened by two people in the crowd.
BREAKING: Lunatic pulls gun on youth basketball coach in elementary school parking lot because his son didn’t get enough playing time
— i Expose Racists & Pedos (@SeeRacists) February 4, 2026
Steven Hamblin, 28, threatened to “shoot people” in front of kids pic.twitter.com/VKjq0EcRxG
He now faces multiple charges, including wanton endangerment in the first degree, tampering with physical evidence, unlawful possession of a firearm on school property, and endangering welfare. He remains in custody at the Boone County Jail.
Walton-Veron Elementary School is located in a rural, unincorporated community near the Kentucky-Ohio border, and, according to a statement from the superintendent, Matt Baker of Walton-Verona Independent Schools, the dispute “[involved] individuals from the visiting team’s community.”
“The individual involved was taken into police custody and is facing multiple charges. While this was an isolated incident involving out-of-district parties, WVISD takes any threat to our campus environment seriously,” the statement read. Hamblin’s bad behavior prompted the school to take steps to prevent adult aggression, including beefing up security at future athletic events.
“The district will continue to work closely with local law enforcement to ensure our safety protocols remain robust,” it read. “As a standard precaution, our community may notice an increased staff and security presence at upcoming events to ensure the continued comfort and safety of our attendees.”
