KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher on Saturday morning shot and killed his girlfriend before going to Arrowhead Stadium and fatally shooting himself as team personnel tried to stop him, police said.
Belcher attended the University of Maine, where he played football from 2005-2008 and was a first-team All-American as a senior before he graduated in 2009.
Police Capt. David Lindaman said Belcher, 25, and his girlfriend, Kasandra Perkins, 22, got into an argument around 7 a.m. CST at their home in the 5400 block of Crysler Avenue in Kansas City. Around 7:50 a.m., Lindaman said, Belcher shot his girlfriend multiple times. She was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Lindaman said Belcher’s mother, who was visiting the couple and their 3-month-old daughter, witnessed the shooting and was being interviewed by police.
Belcher left the scene on Crysler and went to the Chiefs’ practice facility at Arrowhead, police said.
Police were called to the stadium around 8:10 a.m. When Belcher arrived there, he encountered General Manager Scott Pioli, Coach Romeo Crennel and other team personnel. Police said Chiefs staff attempted to keep Belcher from committing additional acts of violence.
“As officers pulled up and were getting ready to get out of their car, they heard a gunshot,” Kansas City police spokesman Darin Snapp said.
Snapp said Belcher shot himself in the head in front of Crennel and Pioli.
“He was not threatening the employees at all,” Snapp said. “He was just talking to them and thanking them for everything they had done for him.”
“We can confirm that there was an incident at Arrowhead earlier this morning,” the Chiefs said in a statement. “We are cooperating with authorities in their investigation.”
UMaine athletics on Saturday afternoon issued the following statement by Cosgrove:
“His [Belcher’s] move to the NFL was in keeping with his dreams,” says Cosgrove. “This is an indescribably horrible tragedy. At this difficult time, our thoughts and prayers are with Jovan, Kasandra and their families.”
The Kansas City Chiefs host the Carolina Panthers on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium. The Charlotte Observer reported that the NFL informed the Panthers to leave on their team charter plane as scheduled Saturday.
Earlier this year, Belcher signed a one-year deal worth just under $2 million. He had started 10 of 11 games at inside linebacker for the Chiefs this season and was in his third season as a full-time starter, fourth overall in the NFL. A 6-foot-2-inch, 228-pound outside linebacker, he had been in on 38 tackles this season.
During his four-year career, Belcher participated in 59 games, starting 44. He logged 257 career tackles and forced one fumble.
Belcher was a star player at UMaine, where he was honored as the Colonial Athletic Association Defensive Player of the Year in 2008. He helped coach Jack Cosgrove’s Black Bears earn a spot in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
As a senior, he was the runner-up for the Buck Buchanan Award presented to the best defensive player at the FCS level. He made 98 tackles, including 7½ sacks, in 2008.
Belcher, who earned a degree in child development and family relations, participated in the Male Athletes Against Violence initiative during his time at UMaine. He also mentored a local boy by doing different activities with him as part of his curriculum.
Friends, former teammates, family members, acquaintances and fans quickly began flooding Belcher’s Facebook page with messages of condolence upon learning of the tragedy on Saturday morning.
“Hard to believe, Jovan Belcher was as good a man as any,” posted former UMaine teammate Jacob Folz.
“I’m at a loss for words … lost a brother today and successor to the #9 tradition at Maine in Jovan Belcher … my thoughts are prayers are with both families involved,” was the post of former Black Bears defensive end and current UMaine strength and conditioning coach Matt King.
Judging from his final Facebook post, which came on Thursday, Belcher appeared to be in good spirits less than 48 hours before the apparent murder-suicide.
“Momma always said, Boy count ya Blessings!!” the post read.
According to a Bangor Daily News profile in 2008, Belcher’s senior year at UMaine, he was a student-athlete who was tenacious on the field but soft-spoken off it.
“He has a special ability to really jump into another gear and turn himself into a bit of a different being,” UMaine football coach Jack Cosgrove said of Belcher’s on-field personality at the time. “He plays with such passion and reckless abandon.”
The Sports Xchange, Kansas City Star writers Glenn Rice and Kevin Collison, and Bangor Daily News writer Pete Warner contributed to this report.
Thoughts and prayers to the families affected by this.
who are the #$%^es voting this down?? grow a conscience!
Ridiculous, isn’t it?
So sad. Thoughts and prayers to all those involved in this tragedy.
Prayers to that poor 3- month old baby girl starting her life without a mother or father. I hope she is able to remain with family who will love and cherish her as she deserves. Such a sad situation.
Another very sad and disturbing occurrence for a football player. You never know. He could have had the beginnings of chronic traumatic encephalopathy which would explain erratic or psychotic behavior. I hope the NFL continues to look at ALL things like this and continue to understand CTE and increase player support and safety. At the very least, I hope the NFL helps set something up to take care of the little baby. So sad. Thoughts and prayers toward the families, friends and teammates.
Please stop with nonsense like this. This can’t be explained away because of “NFL CTE”. Stop.
Chris Benoit The Wrestler seems to come to mind. I think he was on steroids .
His mother has reportedly given his brain for the ongoing concussion research.
Grew up on Long Island, NY,had such a beautiful family, youth and the start of a good career. I hate to think it would be something other than an injury.
Wow…….I was banned from this site for over a year for making a simple statement then I come on here and see some of the nasty and cruel comments…….just WOW.
Congrats BDN………you’ve officially become the National Enquirer of Maine!
You’re not kidding.
When my son was three, he lost his grandmother and was having a really hard time understanding and was death and was profoundly sad. We were introduced to Jovian through a friend of a friend. He was a child development major and wanted to work with troubled youth if his football career didn’t work out. He worked with my son, we used to go watch practice, and they did a lot of “hanging out”. Jovan we a mature, caring and loving young man who helped my son smile again. I will always remember the kindness and love he showed to my family. This news profoundly saddens me and I can’t even attempt to figure out “why” His family is in my prayers.
We have to remember the family and the baby in prayers. People will always 2nd guess.
BDN is a major sensor. They removed my comment & it wasn’t bad at all. All it was about was the guys large salary. Talk about sensorship!!! Shame on you BDN…
it’s their site
Football is all about money . 63 Umaine players on scholarship . They loose almost a million a year . They always talk about how good it make the school look that thier players went pro. I would say it can also make the school look bad .
Censor…..but get your point.
I was having the ol’ gun no gun discussion with someone and it appears both our comments were removed, at least it is total censorship, though silly…
I actually think disqus manages these forums tho
I used to be a HUGE sports fan, but at some point (starting in the 1990s) most professional sports turned into a weird thug/drug/violence/greed/etc. etc.etc. world………no thanks, call me one ex-pro sports fan who hasn’t had a thing to do with pro sports for a decade.
Be proud of yourself for the most horrible comment of all time on here.
I AM ETERNAL CHILD’s comment is why I feel BDN is wrong for deleting comments. It’s better when people are allowed to show their true colors and make a complete a s s of themselves for everybody to see.
My boyfriend says that George Bush cut back over $5,000,000 on counseling funds for this type of person, obviously in distress, and that most likely Mr. Belcher had called a hotline or for counseling and was denied for lack of funds (my bf says it went to the Iraq war.). Even though Obama restored them, it was too late. Bush might have well pulled the trigger. He needs to be cuffed, and frog-marched out of his ranch along with Cheney. Cowboys. Vote Democrat, please. God Bless this poor little baby.
Just so the world knows the baby is in good hand n as for jovan he is not that monster everyone is making him out to be I knew him from a child n he has always been loving n sweet . We don’t know y n may never know y but remember it takes to do don’t just point at him. My love goes to his family u all r in my prays n always in my heart..