Dallas Cowboys defensive finish Marshawn Kneeland has died of an obvious self-inflicted gunshot wound, police in Frisco, Texas, mentioned Thursday. He was 24.
“It’s with excessive disappointment that the Dallas Cowboys share that Marshawn Kneeland tragically handed away this morning,” the Cowboys mentioned in a press release. “Marshawn was a beloved teammate and member of our group. Our ideas and prayers relating to Marshawn are along with his girlfriend Catalina and his household.”
The Frisco Police Division mentioned it was referred to as at roughly 10:39 p.m. Wednesday to assist the Texas Division of Public Security to discover a automobile that had entered town throughout a pursuit. The state-level law-enforcement company mentioned in a press release Thursday that it had tried to cease the automobile for a site visitors violation, however the driver had refused to cease.
The automobile was quickly discovered unoccupied, crashed on southbound Dallas Parkway close to Warren Parkway. A person — later recognized as Kneeland, a resident of close by Plano — was reported to have fled the scene on foot.
Frisco police have been instructed through the search that Kneeland had expressed “suicidal ideations,” the division mentioned in a press release. Police dispatch audio from the incident, posted Thursday by TMZ, revealed that Kneeland had despatched out a bunch textual content to say goodbye to his household and that police looking at nighttime had used thermal imaging to assist find him.
“Kneeland was later positioned at 1:31a.m., deceased with what seemed to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.,” Fresno police mentioned in a press release. “The trigger/method of demise can be decided by the Collin County Medical Examiner’s Workplace.”
The Plano Police Division had visited Kneeland’s residence on the request of Frisco police at 11 p.m. Wednesday night time however officers have been unable to make contact with anybody there. At 11:40 p.m., Plano police mentioned, officers responded to a separate name for a welfare concern related to Kneeland on the identical deal with, however once more have been unable to make contact.
Kneeland was chosen by the Cowboys out of Western Michigan within the second spherical of the 2024 draft, lower than three months after his mom, Wendy Kneeland, died all of the sudden of an undisclosed sickness. Kneeland instructed the Dallas Morning Information final 12 months that he carried a few of his mom’s ashes with him all over the place in a tiny urn on a sequence round his neck.
“She helped me loads in my youthful years stepping into soccer,” Kneeland mentioned. “I all the time had the dream. I all the time instructed her, ‘I’m going to the NFL’ and I made it. It’s a tough state of affairs simply realizing she received to see me doubtlessly going to the NFL and going by means of [the process]. She’s nonetheless with me. I received this urn of her ashes I carry with me all over the place. I nonetheless really feel like she’s there watching over me.”
Kneeland performed in 18 video games, together with 4 begins, and had 26 tackles, 4 quarterback hits and one sack. On Monday night time towards the Arizona Cardinals, Kneeland recovered a blocked punt ultimately zone for his first NFL landing.
“I watched him combat his means from a hopeful child at Western Michigan with a dream to being a revered skilled for the Dallas Cowboys,” Kneeland’s agent, Jonathan Perzley, mentioned in a press release. “Marshawn poured his coronary heart into each snap, each follow, and each second on the sector. To lose somebody along with his expertise, spirit, and goodness is a ache I can hardly put into phrases.”
Kneeland’s household additionally launched a press release Thursday.
“We’re devastated by this large loss and are nonetheless processing the depth of our grief,” the household mentioned. “As Marshawn was making his mark on the soccer area with the Dallas Cowboys, he held an much more particular place off the sector — as a loyal son, brother, uncle, cousin, nephew, grandson, and pal. He was variety, decided, humble, and full of affection. His gentle shone brightly in each life he touched, and his spirit will proceed to stay on by means of the numerous hearts he impressed.”
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