Multiple reports have confirmed that fourth-year Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher shot himself at the Chiefs' practice facility this morning, allegedly after shooting and killing his girlfriend. According to CBS's Jason La Canfora, Belcher killed himself after speaking with the team's GM and head coach. See updates below.
10:47 a.m.: The full report, with everything we know at the moment, from KCTV in Kansas City:
Police are investigating two deadly shootings Saturday morning that they said are related.
The shootings involve a Chiefs player and his girlfriend.
The first shooting was reported about 8 a.m. at a home near 54th Street and Chrysler Avenue. The second shooting was reported a short time later at a Chiefs practice facility located on the Arrowhead facility.
Officials said the Chiefs player shot and killed his girlfriend and then drove to the practice facility where he shot and killed himself.
It's unknown if people were at Arrowhead or any of its surrounding facilities at the time.
Twitter rumors are flying about who the player is—observers of varying levels of access seem to have settled on a single candidate—but we'll wait to confirm, and will update this post as more information becomes available.
Update, 11:04 a.m.: It looks like the original guesses were correct: CBS's Jason La Canfora is reporting the player in question was Jovan Belcher.
Belcher was a four-year veteran, and had started 44 of the team's 59 games during that span. His player bio is here.
Update, 11:20 a.m.: Belcher may have committed suicide in front of Romeo Crennel and Scott Pioli:
Update, 11:47 a.m.: Recent pictures of Belcher, his girlfriend and their child, uploaded to this Facebook page. The caption reads, "Happy Thanksgiving from my family to yours."
There is also a Walmart baby registry for "Kasandra Perkins & Jovan Belcher," set for 9/11/2012, here. The police have not yet named Perkins as the first victim.
Update, 12:02 p.m.: More on Belcher's final moments, from Jason La Canfora:
Update, 12:52 p.m.: An EMT in the discussion below treated Belcher after he put his fist through a window in college.
Update, 1:04 p.m.: This is the Chiefs organization's second murder-suicide of the year. And another reader loosely acquainted with Belcher in college shares some info.
Update, 2:13 p.m.: This report from the Kansas City Star suggests the couple had been arguing after Perkins was out late, attending a Trey Songz concert. The friend quoted in the article says that Belcher and Perkins had been dating for three years, and that "she wasn't aware of any prior physical abuse."
Update, 2:30 p.m.: A couple notes from elsewhere on the site: CBS Sports wrote some weird fantasy advice based on Belcher's death this morning (then hastily removed it), while the NFL told the Panthers to to travel to Kansas City for tomorrow's 1 p.m. game against the Chiefs.
Update, 4:06 p.m.: The Chiefs are playing the Panthers at Arrowhead tomorrow. From an official statement: "After discussions between the league office, Head Coach Romeo Crennel and Chiefs team captains, the Chiefs advised the NFL that it will play tomorrow's game vs. the Carolina Panthers at its originally scheduled time."
Update, 5:00 p.m.: Adam Schefter reports that Chiefs linebackers coach Gary Gibbs was, along with Scott Pioli and Romeo Crennel, with Belcher before he shot himself:
Update, 11:25 a.m., Sunday: See our latest on the Belcher murder-suicide here: "Friend: Jovan Belcher "Was Dazed, Suffering From Short-Term Memory Loss" After Last Game; Alcohol, Pain Medication, Domestic Tensions Played Role In Shootings"