The 27-year-old son of Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy has been arrested after authorities say he shot his mother multiple times inside the family’s Virginia home.
Elijah Zion Bieniemy is accused of shooting 57-year-old Mia Bieniemy, the longtime NFL coach’s wife, during a disturbing incident Sunday evening in Ashburn, Virginia.
Deputies with the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office responded to the home at approximately 7:32 p.m. on Sunday, July 26, following a report of a shooting.
When officers arrived, they discovered Mia suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. She was rushed to a nearby hospital with serious injuries and was listed in stable condition Monday.
Elijah was taken into custody in connection with the shooting and charged with three felonies: malicious wounding, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and discharging a firearm inside a dwelling.
He was being held without bond at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center as of Monday.
Court records show Elijah was arraigned Monday morning. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 31.
Authorities have not publicly revealed what allegedly led to the shooting or provided further details about the moments before deputies arrived. The case remained under investigation Monday.
Eric Bieniemy was hundreds of miles away in Missouri when the shooting occurred.
The coach had attended the Chiefs’ training camp practice earlier Sunday at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph. He was not present when the team returned to the field for Monday’s practice and reportedly left camp to be with his wife.
The Chiefs acknowledged the family crisis but declined to discuss the shooting in detail.
“The club is aware of the incident involving Eric Bieniemy’s family,” the team said in a statement. “Out of respect for their privacy, we won’t have a comment at this time. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.”
Bieniemy, 56, recently returned to Kansas City as the team’s offensive coordinator after spending several years away from the organization.
He previously served as the Chiefs’ running backs coach from 2013 to 2017 before being promoted to offensive coordinator in 2018. He remained in that role through the 2022 season and helped Kansas City win Super Bowls LIV and LVII.
Bieniemy left the Chiefs in 2023 to become assistant head coach and offensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders. He later coached at UCLA and spent time with the Chicago Bears before returning to Kansas City in January 2026.
The Sunday shooting has now pulled the Bieniemy family into a criminal investigation just as the Chiefs begin preparations for the upcoming NFL season.
Mia remained hospitalized in stable condition Monday, while her son remained jailed without bond. No motive has been announced.
Why is he still breathing??!