Elijah Zion Bieniemy, the son of Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Eric Bieniemy, has been arrested and charged in connection with the shooting of his mother, Mia Bieniemy. Authorities in Virginia confirmed the arrest and charges on Monday. The incident occurred in Ashburn, Virginia, where the family maintained a home.
The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office reported that deputies responded to a shooting late Sunday. Upon arrival, they found Mia Bieniemy, 57, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. She was transported to a hospital and was reported to be in stable condition on Monday. Reports indicate she sustained injuries to her chest and arm.
Elijah Zion Bieniemy, 27, was arrested early Monday. 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 currently being held without bond at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center. The sheriff’s office stated that the investigation into the shooting is ongoing.
Bieniemy’s Absence from Training Camp
Eric Bieniemy was with the Chiefs at their training camp in St. Joseph, Missouri, earlier on Sunday. However, he was not present for Monday’s workout, which involved rookies, quarterbacks, and a few veterans, and was closed to the public. Chiefs coach Andy Reid addressed the situation, expressing support for Bieniemy and his family.
Reid conveyed his thoughts and prayers to the Bieniemy family, emphasizing that Mia Bieniemy was in stable condition, which he noted as a positive development. He described Mia Bieniemy as a “saint” and “one of God’s great blessings.” Reid acknowledged that such events occur and that Eric Bieniemy would work through it with the support of the team and his family.
The coach did not specify how long Eric Bieniemy would be away from the team. In his 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 highlighted the importance of Bieniemy being able to attend to this personal matter.
Eric Bieniemy’s Return to the Chiefs
Eric Bieniemy returned to the Chiefs this season to take over as the offensive coordinator, replacing Matt Nagy. He had been part of Coach Reid’s initial staff in Kansas City in 2013, serving five seasons as the running backs coach before his promotion to offensive coordinator. During his previous tenure as offensive coordinator, the Chiefs reached three Super Bowls and won two, with Bieniemy contributing to one of the NFL’s top offenses.
Despite interviewing for several head-coaching positions, Bieniemy was not selected for those roles. He then spent time with the Washington Commanders in 2023, and later as the offensive coordinator at UCLA for one season, followed by a season as the running backs coach with the Bears. His return to the Chiefs this season was met with positive remarks from Coach Reid, who noted Bieniemy’s energy and leadership qualities.
Bieniemy was present for offseason workouts in Kansas City over the summer and was with the team when training camp began last week. The Chiefs are scheduled to be off on Tuesday, with the first full-squad workout at Missouri Western State University set for Wednesday.
Source: cnn.com