KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher killed his girlfriend Saturday morning and minutes later, holding a gun to his head, thanked his general manager and coach before shooting himself outside the team's practice complex.
Authorities did not release a motive for the murder-suicide, though police said that Belcher and his girlfriend, 22-year-old Kasandra M. Perkins, had been arguing recently. The two of them have a 3-month-old girl who was being cared for by family.
Belcher thanked general manager Scott Pioli and coach Romeo Crennel before pulling the trigger, police spokesman Darin Snapp said. Officers had locked down the Chiefs facility by midmorning.
The team said it would play its home game against the Carolina Panthers as scheduled on Sunday at noon local time "after discussions between the league office, Head Coach Romeo Crennel and Chiefs team captains."
A spokesman for the team told The Associated Press that Crennel plans to coach on Sunday.
Belcher was a 25-year-old native of West Babylon, N.Y., on Long Island, who played college ball at Maine. He signed with the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent, made the team and stayed with it for four years, moving into the starting lineup. He had played in all 11 games this season.
"The entire Chiefs family is deeply saddened by today's events, and our collective hearts are heavy with sympathy, thoughts and prayers for the families and friends affected by this unthinkable tragedy," Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt said in a statement.
"We sincerely appreciate the expressions of sympathy and support we have received from so many in the Kansas City and NFL communities, and ask for continued prayers for the loved ones of those impacted," Hunt said. "We will continue to fully cooperate with the authorities and work to ensure that the appropriate counseling resources are available to all members of the organization."
The NFL released a statement that also expressed sympathy and said, "We have connected the Chiefs with our national team of professional counselors to support both the team and the families of those affected. We will continue to provide assistance in any way that we can."
<관련 한글 기사>
충격! 프로선수,여친 살해하고 경기장서...
미국 프로풋볼리그(NFL)에서 활동하고 있는 20대 선수가 여자친구를 살해한 뒤 홈팀 경기장에서 스스로 목숨을 끊은 사건이 발생했다.
1일(현지시간) CNN방송 등 현지 언론에 따르면 캔자스시티 치프스의 수비수인 조반 벨처(25)는 이날 오전 8시께 캔자스시티에 있는 자신의 집에서 여자친구를 총으로 쏴 숨지게 했다.
그는 이어 차를 몰고 홈팀 경기장인 애로헤드 스타디움으로 향한 뒤 스콧 피올리 감독, 로메오 크레넬 코치 등과 이야기를 나눴으며, 경찰이 도착하자마자 총을 이용해 스스로 목숨을 끊었다고 현지 경찰이 확인했다.
벨처의 자살 장면은 함께 이야기를 하고 있는 코치진과 일부 동료도 함께 목격한 것으로 알려졌다.
캔자스시티 경찰의 대런 스냅 대변인은 "경찰관들이 경기장에 도착해 주차를 하 기 시작했을 때 총성을 들었다고 한다"면서 "그러나 코치진 등은 위험에 처하지 않았다"고 설명했다.
올 시즌에서 1승 10패를 기록하는 등 최악의 슬럼프에 빠져있는 캔자스시티 치프스는 이날 캐롤라이나 팬서스와의 홈경기를 앞두고 이같은 비극이 발생하자 극심한 혼란에 빠졌다고 현지 언론은 전했다.
고교 시절 전국 최강의 수비수로 이름을 떨쳤던 벨처는 지난 2009년 메인대에서 자유계약선수 자격으로 캔자스시티 치프스에 입단했으며, 올해로 4번째 시즌을 맞았다.
