Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy's 27-year-old son faces three felony charges after allegedly shooting his mother multiple times inside the family's Virginia home, while Bieniemy was hundreds of miles away at training camp.
Loudoun County deputies responded to the Bieniemy family home in Ashburn, Virginia, late Sunday evening and found Mia Bieniemy, 57, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. She had been shot in the chest and arm, the New York Post reported. Paramedics transported her to a hospital, where she was listed in stable condition as of Monday.
Her son, Elijah Zion Bieniemy, was arrested early Monday and charged with malicious wounding, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and discharge of a firearm inside a dwelling. He is being held without bond at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center. The sheriff's office said the investigation remains ongoing.
The shooting occurred at approximately 7:32 p.m. Sunday, the Washington Examiner reported, citing the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office. Eric Bieniemy was at the Chiefs' training camp at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Missouri, earlier that day. He was not present at the Ashburn home when deputies arrived.
The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office stated there is no believed threat to the public. No motive has been disclosed. Authorities have not said whether anyone else was inside the residence at the time of the shooting.
The family's Ashburn home dates to Eric Bieniemy's stint as offensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders in 2023. After the Commanders struggled that season and head coach Ron Rivera's entire staff was let go, Bieniemy moved on, first to a one-season stop as offensive coordinator at UCLA, then to the Chicago Bears as running backs coach. The couple apparently kept the Virginia property.
Eric Bieniemy did not attend the Chiefs' Monday workout, a closed session for rookies, quarterbacks, and a handful of veterans. Head coach Andy Reid addressed the situation briefly with reporters afterward.
Reid told the Associated Press he could not discuss details but offered support for the family:
"I can't get into details on it, but things happen sometimes, and Eric will work through it. He has a great support group here, as does his family, as needed, and we'll just let time take care of it from there. But Mia is stable, which is a plus."
Reid spoke warmly of Mia Bieniemy.
"She's a saint, we all know that, those of you that know her. One of God's great blessings."
Reid said he did not know how long Bieniemy would be away from the team. Pass game coordinator Joe Bleymaier and offensive line coach Andy Heck will cover his duties in the meantime. The Chiefs are off Tuesday, with the first full-squad workout scheduled for Wednesday.
The Chiefs also released a formal statement: "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."
Eric Bieniemy's return to the Chiefs this year marked a reunion with Reid, who first hired him in 2013 as running backs coach. Bieniemy held that role for five seasons before earning a promotion to offensive coordinator. Over the next five seasons in that position, Kansas City reached three Super Bowls and won two.
He left for Washington in 2023, spent time at UCLA, then coached running backs for the Bears last season. This year he came back to Kansas City to replace Matt Nagy as offensive coordinator.
Just last week, as the Chiefs began reporting to training camp, Reid praised the hire publicly:
"It's great to have (Bieniemy) back in the building. He always brings great energy. I've told you, he's one of the more phenomenal guys I have been around at being a leader of men. He is doing that. He's in there cranking, works his tail off, and I appreciate that. Doesn't let anything slide by. Does a good job with that."
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce echoed the sentiment. "I can't wait to see him back in the building, man," Kelce said. "He's one of my favorite coaches of all-time, one of my favorite people of all time."
Days later, Bieniemy left camp to be at his wife's side in Virginia.
Elijah Zion Bieniemy now sits in the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center facing three felony charges. Malicious wounding alone carries serious prison time under Virginia law. The firearm charges, using a gun during a felony and discharging one inside a dwelling, add further weight.
Authorities have offered no explanation for what led a 27-year-old man to allegedly open fire on his own mother inside the family home. No court date has been publicly announced. The sheriff's office has said only that the investigation continues and that there is no broader public safety concern.
Mia Bieniemy remains in stable condition. That is the one piece of good news in a story with none to spare.
A woman was shot multiple times in her own home, allegedly by her own son. The legal system now has one job: hold the person responsible fully accountable, wherever the facts lead.
