The horrific series of events that culminated with Jovan Belcher shooting himself at the Kansas City Chiefs' facility in view of the team's general manager and coach on Saturday began when the 25-year-old linebacker fatally shot Kasandra M. Perkins at a nearby residence. The 22-year-old Perkins was Belcher's girlfriend and the couple had a child in September. KCTV in Kansas City reports that Perkins is the cousin of the wife of Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles.
Police Capt. David Lindaman told the Kansas City Star that Belcher and Perkins were involved in an argument on Saturday morning before the shooting. Perkins was taken to a hospital and later pronounced dead.
Kansas City police spokesman Darin Snapp confirmed to USA Today that the infant child is in the custody of Belcher's mother. Belcher's mother witnessed the shooting at the residence and placed the initial call to 911, as reported by NFL.com.
"Jovan was a happy, proud father, with pictures of his baby on his Facebook page. This is shocking," Belcher's agent, Joe Linta, told Peter King of Sports Illustrated. "Something went crazy wrong, and we'll probably never know what it is."
Speaking with TMZ, Perkins' family was described as being in "utter shock" after the murder and talked about the young couple as having appeared very loving in the months leading up to this terrible incident.