NFL player kills girlfriend then shoots himself in front of GM and coach

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by afc wimbledon

Take football, sports in general, out of the story, a guy guns down the mother of his kid, do we start by asking why he might not be a #######, perhaps he was hearing voices etc.

Yes we do, actually. That is very common now a days. There's been great advances in diagnosing mental illness, and it is looking like there are reasons (reasons NOT excuses) in lots of cases, where 20 years ago we'd just say "the guys a murderer, no need to look into this any further, throw him in jail and throw away the key!)

It's really important for society that we advance this way, not so we can let people off the hook (being locked up in a phych ward is not being let off the hook btw) but so that we can better identify these cases earlier on in people's lives and hopefully avoid tragedies that come from undetected mental illness.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by afc wimbledon

I have to disagree, I think the whole tenor of this thread is very different than, say the Ryan Lane thread, no one over their is speculating as to what possible mitigating circumstance could there be for them killing Mr Lane

To a point, this is true in some threads as sometimes people just care less when it isn't a prominant public figure, but remember that thread was started by a CP member asking for help finding Ryan Lane and he specifically asked for people not to speculate.

So to point to that thread as example of "why aren't people speculating in this thread?" is kind of bizarre.

[valo403]

Police speculate that youth, financial issues and arguments over the relationship played a role in what happened. The Kansas City Chiefs were reportedly aware of the issues and were providing counseling for the couple.

http://deadspin.com/5965415/haunting...murder+suicide

[transplant99]

Some details, according to the report, which cites police sources:

• After a night of partying, Belcher was found asleep in his car by Kansas City police officers. It was determined he could drive himself home. Police believe he arrived home around 7 a.m.
• Belcher and Perkins had an argument around 8 a.m. Belcher's mother, who was living with the couple, heard her son yell something to the effect of “You can't talk to me like that!” and then gunshots. Belcher's mother ran to the couple's bedroom where she saw him tell Perkins he was sorry and kissed her on the forehead. Belcher apologized to his mother, kissed his three-month-old daughter and fled to the Chiefs' practice facility.
• Belcher encountered Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli at the facility's parking lot. Belcher exited his car with a gun pointed at his own head saying, “I did it. I killed her.”
• Later, head coach Romeo Crennel, linebackers coach Gary Gibbs and another team employee arrived.
• While Pioli and Crennel tried to reason with Belcher, sirens could be heard closing in on the practice facility. “I got to go,” Belcher said. “I can't be here.” Belcher then knelt behind a vehicle and made the sign of a cross across his chest before shooting himself in the head.