An NFL murder-suicide rocked the sports world this weekend after Jovan Belcher, an undrafted free agent who rose through the ranks of the Kansas City Chiefs killed his girlfriend and then took his own life. According to police, Belcher left behind a 3-month-old daughter.
Police responded to a shooting at 7:50 am in Kansas City, Missouri. After arriving at the home, police were told that 22-year-old Kasandra Perkins had been “shot by her boyfriend several times.” Police rushed Perkins to a local hospital where she died a short time later.
Two minutes after responding to the homicide call, police received notice that a man was standing in the Arrowhead Stadium parking lot “armed with a handgun.”
When police arrived, Belcher was talking to several coaches while holding a gun to his own head. According to NFL.com , one of the coaches present during the suicide was head coach Romeo Crennel. Also witnessing the second half of the NFL murder-suicide was general manager Scott Pioli.
According to the official police report, Jovan Belcher never pointed the gun at anyone else in the parking lot before taking his own life. According to police spokesman Darin Snapp:
“The coaches said when he pulled up, they were never in danger. He never threatened them or anything,”
After hearing about the NFL murder-suicide, Jeff Allen, a Kansas City Chiefs player, tweeted:
“I am devastated and heart broken. I’m sending prayers to everyone involved. Always show love and never be afraid to talk.”
Despite the tragedy that occurred the, Kansas City Chiefs were still scheduled to play on Sunday .
With the NFL murder-suicide grabbing national headlines, it is likely in the coming days that we will hear more about head related injuries in the NFL.
