Crennel, Pioli witnessed Belcher commit suicide in Kansas City

Kansas City, MO (FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com) A 25-year-old player for the Kansas City Chiefs shot himself in a parking lot at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday morning.

NFL insider Jay Glazer reports that the player has been identified as linebacker Jovan Belcher. He says former Patriots VP and current Kansas City Chiefs GM Scott Pioli and former Patriots defensive coordinator and current Chiefs coach Romeo Crennel both witnessed the suicide. Belcher reportedly thanked Pioli and Crennel.

Police say Belcher fatally shot his girlfriend, 22-year-old Kasandra Perkins, at their home in Kansas City during a domestic dispute before committing suicide at the team facility. A friend of the couple told the Kansas City Star that Belcher was upset after she came home late from a concert. The couple had a 3-month-old baby together.

Belcher was reportedly holding a gun to his head as he talked to a group of coaches in the parking lot of the team's practice facility when police arrived.

The 25-year-old started in every game for the Chiefs since the 2011 season and recorded 38 total tackles during the 2012 season.

Belcher went undrafted in the 2009 rookie class as a four year starter at Maine.

In a Nov. 2012 report posted on the Kansas City Chiefs website just before Thanksgiving, Belcher discussed the difficulty of entering the NFL undrafted.

"In the holiday spirit, Belcher gave thanks to those who helped make his dream of playing in the NFL come true. 'First and foremost, God. Family and friends just keeping me focused, coaches and just everyone,'" reads the report.

The report has since been removed from the Chiefs website.

To read more: FOX Sports

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