Guyer High School football player, 18, shot to death

Published Sep. 1, 2013 7:18 p.m. ET

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A starting fullback for one of Texas' top high school football programs was shot to death late Saturday night.

Nathan Maki, 18, was found with a gunshot wound in a pickup truck in a field near Bowie, Texas, and died shortly thereafter, according to multiple reports. Maki was a senior at Guyer High School in Denton.

Law enforcement was called to the scene at sometime between 11 and 11:30 p.m. Saturday. Upon arrival, they reportedly found the wounded Maki. He was taken to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

While an investigation is still ongoing, officials said they found a rifle at the scene and said alcohol was believed to be a factor. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram also reported that a 17-year-old was arrested at the scene and charged with possession of alcohol, though the story did not indicate if the teen had any relation to shooting.

“We’re not going to rule anything out right now,” Montague County Sheriff Paul Cunningham told the Denton Record-Chronicle. Cunningham also said that the case would likely be discussed with the Montague County District Attorney’s office to consider any possible charges. “We’re classifying this as an open investigation,” he told the paper.

"As a coach or administrator, you don't prepare for anything like this," Guyer head coach John Walsh told the Record-Chronicle. "But Guyer's a strong family and we're going to take care of the Makis along the way."

Although Maki missed Guyer's season opener on Thursday with an injury, as a junior last season he was the starting fullback during the team's run to the Class 4A Division I state championship.

"Nathan is a great kid," Oschlor Flemming, Guyer's running backs coach, told the Record-Chronicle. "I don't think he had an enemy in the world. He was always happy. He was one of the better kids in our program, just as a kid, period."

A message on the Guyer football team website said the football booster club will establish a fund at North Star Bank to help Maki's family.

Follow Keith Whitmire on Twitter: @Keith_Whitmire