Family Member Says Paul Oliver May Not Have Meant To Kill Himself

USA Today has more details on the death of former Chargers safety Paul Oliver, who died last month from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. Citing a police report, USA Today paints Oliver as a man who was directionless and possibly depressed at the time of his death.

According to the police report, Oliver and his wife were arguing just before his death. Police say that Oliver had been drinking alcohol, and fired his pistol into the ceiling of his home. He then removed the clip from the gun and inserted another one before walking down the stairs and firing another shot into his head, in front of his wife and two children.

But Oliver's uncle, David Scandrett, doesn't believe that Oliver meant to kill himself. Here's what he told USA Today:

"True enough it was self-inflicted," said Scandrett, who said he arrived at Oliver's home about 30 minutes after the shooting. "I don't think he knew the gun. When you fire a round, the clip throws another round right into the chamber. When you take the clip out, you might think you are emptying the gun, but you're not. It was an automatic. He was trying to scare her." They were having an argument, but I'm not sure what it was about.

Oliver was 29 years old, and last played in the NFL in 2011.

[ USA Today]