Another picture of Belcher (
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A Kansas City Chiefs linebacker from Long Island killed himself this morning in front of the team’s head coach and general manager outside of Arrowhead Stadium — after gunning down his girlfriend earlier, police said.
Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli and head coach Romeo Crennel confronted Jovan Belcher, 25, from West Babylon, in the stadium’s parking lot, and while they were talking to him, he shot himself in the head, according to KCTV5.
Before turning the gun on himself, Belcher thanked Pioli and Crennel for all they had done for him, police spokesman Darin Snapp said.
At around 7:50 a.m. this morning, authorities received a call saying a woman had been shot multiple times at a home on Crysler Avenue, about five miles away from Arrowhead, said Snapp.
The victim, Kasandra Perkins, 22, and Belcher had a baby girl, Zoey, on Sept. 11. Her relatives declined comment to The Post.
The tragic violence was allegedly set off after Belcher’s girlfriend was out late Friday attending a concert by R&B singer Trey Songz, according to the Wichita Eagle.
A friend of Kasandra Perkins, 22, told the paper that the couple argued when she returned from the show at The Midland.
Belcher allegedly confronted Perkins when she returned home about 1 a.m.
The couple, who met after being introduced by another Chiefs player, had dated about three years. They argued frequently, according to the source, who was not aware of any prior physical abuse, the paper reported.
“We arrived and the lady there informed us that her daughter had been shot by her on-again, off-again boyfriend. The young woman was taken to a local hospital, where she died a short time later,” Snapp said.
Then, a desperate call came in from the Chiefs’ practice facility at around 8:10 am.
“The description matched the suspect description from that other address. We kind of knew what we were dealing with,” he said. The player was “holding a gun to his head” as he stood in front of the front doors of the practice facility.
“And there were Pioli and Crennel and another coach or employee was standing outside and appeared to be talking to him. It appeared they were talking to the suspect,” Snapp said.
“The suspect began to walk in the opposite direction of the coaches and the officers and that’s when they heard the gunshot. It appears he took his own life.”
Belcher was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The coaches told cops they never felt endangered, Snapp said.
“They said the player was actually thanking them for everything they’d done for him,” Snapp said. “They were just talking to him and he was thanking them and everything. That’s when he walked away and shot himself.
Sapp said Perkin’s mother told police they had recently been arguing.
But pictures on Perkin’s Facebook page show the two very much in love, smiling in bed together with a dog licking Belcher’s face.
“Daddy is home from his game! We missed you!,” Kasandra Perkins wrote under the October 9, 2011 picture.
In other photos throughout that year, the pair seem to be a sweet couple.
Kasandra, who was pregnant at the time, showed off her growing belly or posed with Belcher at Chiefs games.
When Zoey arrived, the two showed off their bundle of joy in a series of photos marking the happy occasions — a visit to the doctor, her first Halloween, most recently on Thanksgiving.
The stadium has been in lockdown since about 8 a.m.
“The entire Chiefs family is deeply saddened by today’s events, and our collective hearts are heavy with sympathy, thoughts and prayers for the families and friends affected by this unthinkable tragedy,” Chiefs Chairman & CEO Clark Hunt said in a statement.
Belcher starred for West Babylon High School, which he led to an undefeated regular season in 2004. He also was a three-time All-American as a high school wrestler.
He later played for the University of Maine, where he was named the 2008 CAA Conference defensive player of the year honors, graduating with a degree in child development and family relations.
The 6-foot-2, 228-pound linebacker was in his fourth season with the Chiefs — his third as a full-time starter after joining the squad as an undrafted free agent.
He started 10 of the 11 games he played this season, making 38 tackles, and appeared in all 16 games each of his previous three seasons, amassing 257 tackles and one sack in his career.
Belcher was taking home a $1.9 million base salary this year, and could have reaped a windfall next season as an undrafted free agent.
In 2009, Belcher had the words “Reckless Abandon” tattooed on either side of his body.
In a video posted on the Chiefs web site Nov. 21, Belcher discussed things that made him thankful. “First and foremost, God. Family and friends just keeping me focused, coaches and just everyone.”
The season has been a monumental disappointment for the Chiefs, who are stuck in an eight game losing streak and whose 1-10 start is tied for the worst start in team history.
Kansas City is scheduled to host the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.
With Post Wire Services