SUGAR LAND, Texas – Police report a Texas high schooler stabbed his father during an argument over the boy’s decision to quit football that started at school after practice and home.

Police allege the father of a 16-year-old varsity football player at Clements High School recently found out his son was not attending football practices and confronted him at the school Monday and the two argued. The fight continued at the family’s home, where police allege the son stabbed his father, 45, several times in the stomach, back and arms around 6 p.m., KHOU reports.

MORE NEWS: Know These Before Moving From Cyprus To The UK

“Clearly there are some issues going in this house. This just isn’t a normal situation,” SLPD spokesman Doug Adolph told the news site. “There’s definitely quite a bit of tension, a lot of conflict between the boy and his father.”

Sugar Land police said the teen’s mother was in a different room when the incident occurred, but she called 911 when she heard her husband’s cries for help. Officials said the boy wanted to quit football but kept it from his father, who didn’t approve. The victim was airlifted to the Texas Medical Center and last reported in stable condition. The son was charged as a minor with aggravated assault and media reports did not identify him by name.

Police officials told ABC 13 the student and his father had a history of strife, but police had never previously been called to the family’s residence. The teen, a junior, was a popular, talented football player who was friendly with his classmates and excelled in his studies.

“I love him,” an unidentified friend told KHOU. “We joke around on the field. He’s a friend. We’d talk. You’d never hear him say no to anybody. He’s always friendly.”

Other students were also stunned.

“I didn’t think it was him that did it,” junior Kendric Trimble said. “He’s a good kid. He’s good at football.”

MORE NEWS: How to prepare for face-to-face classes

“I don’t have any words. I’m kind of speechless on what’s going on right now,” Cade Parker, friend of the suspect told Click2Houston in an interview near the family home as police processed the scene. “We don’t know much about him and his dad. He doesn’t talk about him much. We just know him and his dad didn’t get along too well.”

“I never would have saw him as someone I would worry about doing that,” he said. “I just didn’t, I never saw that coming, at all.”

Clements High School officials brought in grief counselors for students, who were just learning about the violent incident.

“He’s very good he helped me with my work in agriculture,” sophomore Bridget Narvaiz told KHOU. “He was an awesome student. I don’t think he would have done anything like that.”

“Really shocked. I didn’t think anybody here would do something like that,” said Clements student Jack Danklef.

Parents were also really shocked.

“Oh my gosh,” parent Sonali Walawalker said, “I’m devastated. You never know what’s going to happen next.”