When John Osborne heard Jamie Hood was accused of shooting to death an Athens-Clarke County police officer and wounding another, the news struck a nerve.

Osborne, now principal of White County High School, coached Hood, along with his twin brother Timothy, when the two played on the ninth-grade football team at Cedar Shoals High School in Athens in the mid-1990s.

On Friday night, Hood surrendered to authorities at an Athens apartment after releasing the last four of eight hostages. Police had been searching for him since Tuesday, when policeman Elmer "Buddy" Christian was shot and killed while police say he attempted to apprehend Hood. Another officer, Tony Howard, was shot in the face and upper body, and is recovering from his wounds.

"I hate to say it, but I wasn't shocked,"
said Osborne, who used to drive the Hoods home from practice. "I was like anyone else. I was frustrated as could be first reaction. I was absolutely sorry for him, but that's hard to do because he took a man's life."

Osborne said he wasn't shocked because he had seen Hood's violent behavior firsthand. Osborne recalled breaking up a fight Hood started with a teammate during football practice.

"Jamie didn't do school very well at all," Osborne said.

Hood's troubles led to bad grades and disciplinary issues, both of which led to his dismissal from the football team after his freshman season.

Osborne said he knew even then Hood had the potential to inflict harm on another.

"He was as strong as an ox," Osborne said. "Anything you've seen in the paper or online about how strong he looks now, he was that way as a ninth-grader. That cat was cut, and physically he's always been strong.
"And he's always had an anger problem."

While Osborne describes Jamie Hood as "high strung," he described Tim Hood as "laid back." Tim Hood, Osborne said, stayed out of trouble for the most part, working his way into playing time with Cedar Shoals' varsity team. However, Tim Hood was shot and killed by Athens-Clarke County police in 2001 after an incident in which he fled police while allegedly wielding a gun.

"When Tim was shot, I was shocked," Osborne said. "That hurt my heart. Tim was quiet, a good student."

Osborne said he lost touch with the Hoods after leaving Cedar Shoals for Shiloh High School in Gwinnett County, but remembers the Hoods - including parents Robert and Azalee and three children - fondly.

Jamie Hood's actions are not reflective of the environment he was raised in, Osborne said.

"(The Hoods) always strongly disciplined their kids, loved them and tried to raise them right," Osborne said.

"They were not absentee parents. They were there for them and this has to tear them apart.

"My heart really hurts for them."