Former NFL star Junior Seau was found shot to death at his home Wednesday morning in what police said appeared to be a suicide. He was 43.
Police Chief Frank McCoy said Seau's girlfriend reported finding him unconscious with a gunshot wound to the chest and lifesaving efforts were unsuccessful. A gun was found near him, McCoy said.
Seau's mother appeared before reporters, weeping uncontrollably.
“I don't understand ... I'm shocked,” Luisa Seau cried out.
Her son gave no indication of a problem when she spoke to him by phone earlier this week, she said.
“He's joking to me, he called me a 'homegirl,”' she said.
Seau was a standout linebacker with the University of Southern California before going to the San Diego Chargers _ his hometown team _ whom he led to the Super Bowl following the 1994 season.
“Everyone at the Chargers is in complete shock and disbelief right now. We ask everyone to stop what they're doing and send their prayers to Junior and his family,” the team said in a statement.
Seau's death follows the suicide last year of former Chicago Bears player Dave Duerson, who also shot himself in the chest.
Seau remained with the Chargers until 2003 and went on to play with the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots before retiring after the 2009 season.
“Junior was a fierce competitor whose passion and work ethic lifted his teammates to greater heights. His enthusiasm for the game was infectious and he passed that on to everyone who was around him. He loved the game so much, and no one played with more sheer joy,” Dolphins CEO Mike Dee said in a statement.
“Junior was one-of-a-kind. The league will never see anyone like him again,” Dee said.
The Patriots also issued a statement expressing grief over Seau's death. “This is a sad day for the entire Patriots organization, our coaches and his many Patriots teammates,” the statement said. (AP)
<관련 한글 기사>
한때 잘나가던 스포츠스타 '자살' 왜?
미국프로풋볼(NFL) 역사상 최고의 라 인배커로 평가받는 주니어 서(Junior Seau•43)가 2일 오전(현지시간) 캘리포니아 남부 오션사이드에 있는 자택에서 가슴에 총상을 입고 사망했다고 뉴욕타임스 등 미 국 언론이 보도했다.
서는 이날 오전 해변이 보이는 자신의 집 침실에서 숨진 채로 여자친구에게 발견됐다.
경찰은 서가 권총으로 자살한 것으로 보고 조사 중이지만 유서를 남기지는 않았다고 전했다.
서가 숨진 침실에서 권총도 발견됐다고 경찰은 덧붙였다.
아직 구체적인 자살 동기는 확인되지 않고 있다.
서던캘리포니아대 출신인 서는 1990년 샌디에이고 차저스에 입단한 뒤 마이애미 돌핀스, 뉴 잉글랜드 패트리어츠 등에서 선수로 활약한 최고의 라인배커라는 평가를 듣는다.
그는 2009년 시즌을 끝으로 은퇴했다.