Mia Bieniemy, the wife of Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, was shot on Sunday night at their home in Virginia. Following the incident, their son, Elijah Bieniemy, has been arrested and charged in connection with the shooting. The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that deputies responded to a report of a shooting in Ashburn, Virginia, on Sunday at approximately 7:30 p.m.
Upon arrival, authorities located an adult female suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. She was subsequently transported to a hospital for treatment of serious injuries. On Monday, Chiefs coach Andy Reid stated that Mia Bieniemy is in stable condition. Reid described her as “a saint, one of God’s good blessings.”
Details of the Charges and Investigation
Elijah Bieniemy, 27, was arrested early Monday. He faces several charges, including malicious wounding, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and discharge of a firearm inside a dwelling. He has been transported to the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center, where he is being held without bond. The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office has indicated that the investigation into the shooting is ongoing.
The couple’s home in Virginia is located approximately three miles from the practice facility of the Washington Commanders, a team Eric Bieniemy previously coached. Eric Bieniemy was with the Chiefs at their training camp in St. Joseph, Missouri, earlier on Sunday. He was not present for Monday’s workout, which involved rookies, quarterbacks, and a few veterans and was closed to the public.
Coach Reid confirmed that Eric Bieniemy has returned to Virginia to be with his wife. There is currently no timeframe for his return to the team’s training camp. Reid emphasized the importance of Bieniemy being with his family during this time, stating, “On these things, real life. So you take care of that.”
Team Response and Coaching Adjustments
In Eric Bieniemy’s absence, Joe Bleymaier, the team’s passing game coordinator, will assume the duties of offensive coordinator. Bleymaier called the team’s offensive plays during Monday’s practice. He is entering his 11th season as an offensive assistant with the Chiefs. Additionally, offensive line coach Andy Heck will also take on some of Bieniemy’s responsibilities as the team continues its offensive installations during training camp.
The Chiefs initially released a statement acknowledging the incident. The club 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.” Coach Reid later offered his support, saying, “Our hearts go out to Eric Bieniemy and his family. Thoughts and prayers with them.”
Eric Bieniemy returned to the Chiefs as offensive coordinator this season, having previously held the position from 2018 to 2022. During his prior tenure, he was part of Reid’s initial staff in Kansas City in 2013, serving five seasons as the running backs coach before his promotion. He helped guide the Chiefs to three Super Bowls, winning two, while directing one of the NFL’s top offenses.
After his initial stint with the Chiefs, Bieniemy served as the offensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders in 2023. He then spent a season as the offensive coordinator at UCLA before working as the running backs coach for the Bears last season. He returned to the Chiefs this season to replace Matt Nagy as offensive coordinator. The Chiefs are scheduled to be off on Tuesday, with the first full-squad workout at Missouri Western State University set for Wednesday.
Source: nytimes.com
As CasinoNews's Sports News Writer, Mason Leclair reports on the CFL, golf and combat sports for readers across the country. He moved from regional papers into digital sport. He holds a degree in Journalism from Carleton University. Mason lives in Ottawa, where he follows the PGA Tour and mixed martial arts. “Get the facts down first, then add the context.”
