Saturday, December 1, 2012

DEVELOPING: NFL player kills girlfriend, then commits suicide (UPDATED Plus SUNDAY UPDATE)

Police on scene of first shooting (photo courtesy: KCTV)
KANSAS CITY -- According to the Kansas City Star and KCTV, police are investing a double fatal shooting that involves a Kansas City Chiefs player and his girlfriend.

Police reports say the first shooting happened around 8am, where officers say the player shot and killed his girlfriend in a house near 54th Street and Chrysler Avenue. Moments later, the player drove himself to the Chiefs' practice facility where officers say he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

A police spokesman said coaches arrived at the practice facility before the second shooting and talked with the player briefly before he committed suicide.

The player's name has yet to be released, and the identity of the girlfriend is being held until notification of next of kin.

Officials believe the Chiefs' front office will release a statement shortly in reference to this shooting. Police locked down Arrowhead Stadium and surrounding buildings for about an hour until they could determine what actually happened and that everyone in the area was safe.

Stay tuned to OSG Sports for more on this developing story.

1100 UPDATE: According to the "Save Our Chiefs" Facebook page, According to the Police Chief in KC, the player shot himself in front of "a couple coaches" and police. The Chiefs, Panthers and NFL are in discussions regarding the game the tomorrow. A decision will be made today regarding game status.

Here's the statement from the Chiefs: "We can confirm that there was an incident at Arrowhead earlier this morning. We are cooperating with authorities in their investigation.”

More when we know more...

1107: CBSSports Jason LaCanfora is reporting the Chiefs player to be Jovan Belcher

1110: According to Kansas City radio personality Danny Parkins, The player apparently was confronted w/coaches in the parking lot before he put the gun to his head and committed suicide

1125: Kevin Kietzman of Sports Radio 810 tweet confirms that Belcher is player involved in double shooting.

1145: From Albert Breer at NFL Network

Just got off phone w/the KCPD. Spokesman said PD the girl's mother called them, her daughter had been shot by her "on-again, off-again bf"

That call was at 7:50 CT. Police called to Arrowhead at 8:10. They found Chiefs staffers, and the player w/a gun to his head in parking lot.

As the officer got out of his car, he heard a gunshot. Player was taken to local hospital, pronounced dead


1150: From LaCanfora again

KCPD Officer Darin Snapp confirms GM Scott Pioli and Coach Romeo Crennel were outside team facility at the time Chiefs player killed himself

KCPD say the player thanked both men before taking his life, and that Pioli and Crennel did not feel threatened. KCPD not revealing identity

of the player yet to allow time for family notification but team sources say it was LB Jovan Belcher, as reported.


Here's early reports and interviews from our friends at KCTV
KCTV5

1600: KMBC-TV is reporting the name of the deceased- 22 year-old Kasandra Perkins-

KMBC-TV correspondent Diane Cho is reporting that Perkins and Belcher got into an argument because Perkins apparently got home late from a concert Friday night in Kansas City.

SUNDAY UPDATE: Apparently, Perkins and Whitney Charles- the wife of Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles were cousins... here's more on Perkins from KSHB-TV
((HT: NBCActionNews.com))
Isaac Rauch, over at Deadspin, has published a piece involving an individual claiming to be close to Belcher.

This source is telling Rauch that Belcher's relationship with Perkins was one of two people who were "young and immature." The fight over the concert Perkins attended was only part of the dynamic and not the last straw. Belcher, allegedly, was balancing medication, alcohol, and occasional short-term memory loss from his playing time.

The November 18th game the Chiefs played against Cincinnati as a game that Belcher took direct contact to the head on more than one occasion- according to Rauch's source. Coaches held Belcher out of most of the Broncos game the following weekend since he was more of a run-stopper playing against a passing offense.

But, now we may have more of an idea on the "why." And if it is accurate, then the story compounded is even more sad.

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