Ashburn, Virginia: Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy’s son arrested in connection with shooting
Elijah Zion Bieniemy, the son of Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, has been arrested in Virginia following a shooting incident where a woman, identified by multiple media outlets as his mother, Mia Bieniemy, sustained multiple gunshot wounds. The incident occurred on Sunday evening, and Elijah Zion Bieniemy, 27, is currently being held without bond.
Deputies from the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a shooting at approximately 7:32 p.m. on Sunday in Ashburn, Virginia. Public records indicate that Eric, Mia, and Elijah Bieniemy reside at a house on the block where the alleged incident took place. Mia Bieniemy was transported to a hospital, where she was reported to be in stable condition despite suffering serious injuries.
Arrest and Charges
Elijah Zion Bieniemy was arrested early Monday in connection with the shooting. He faces charges including malicious wounding, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and discharge of a firearm inside a dwelling. He is being held at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center without bond. The sheriff’s office has stated that the investigation into the incident is ongoing.
At the time of the incident, Eric Bieniemy was with the Chiefs for the second day of training camp in St. Joseph, Missouri. He was not present for Monday’s practice, which involved rookies, quarterbacks, and a few veterans and was closed to the public.
Team Response and Support
The Kansas City Chiefs released a statement acknowledging the incident. The team stated, “The club is aware of the incident involving Eric Bieniemy’s family. Out of respect for their privacy, we won’t have a comment at this time. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.”
Chiefs coach Andy Reid also addressed the situation, expressing support for the Bieniemy family. Reid commented, “Our hearts go out to Eric Bieniemy and his family. Thoughts and prayers with them.” He added that Mia Bieniemy is stable, which he considered a positive development. Reid described Mia Bieniemy as “a saint” and “one of God’s great blessings.”
During Eric Bieniemy’s absence, pass game coordinator Joe Bleymaier and offensive line coach Andy Heck will assume his duties as the Chiefs continue with offensive installations during training camp. Reid emphasized the importance of Bieniemy taking care of his family matters, stating, “On these things, real life. So you take care of that.”
Bieniemy’s Coaching Career
Eric Bieniemy is in his second tenure as the offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs. He initially joined Andy Reid’s staff in Kansas City in 2013, serving five seasons as the running backs coach before being promoted to offensive coordinator. During his first stint as offensive coordinator, the Chiefs reached three Super Bowls and won two of them.
After his initial period with the Chiefs, Bieniemy spent a season as the offensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders. He then served as the offensive coordinator at UCLA before returning to the Chiefs this season to replace Matt Nagy as offensive coordinator. The Chiefs are scheduled to have their first full-squad workout at Missouri Western State University on Wednesday.
Source: latimes.com
