Elijah Zion Bieniemy, the 27-year-old son of Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, has been arrested and faces three felony charges in connection with the shooting of his mother, Mia Bieniemy. Authorities in Virginia confirmed the charges following an incident at a home in Ashburn.
Police in Ashburn, Virginia, responded to a shooting late Sunday at a residence on the same block where Eric and Mia Bieniemy own a property. Upon arrival, law enforcement officials discovered an adult woman, identified as Mia Bieniemy, with multiple gunshot wounds. She was subsequently transported to a nearby hospital, where her condition was reported as stable on Monday.
Charges and Potential Penalties
Elijah Bieniemy was arrested early Monday and taken to the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center, where he is being held without bond. He has been charged with malicious wounding, use of a firearm in commission of a felony (first offense), and discharge of a firearm inside of a dwelling.
Under Virginia law, if convicted on all three counts, Bieniemy could face a maximum of 33 years in prison. The charge of malicious wounding, classified as a Class 3 felony, carries a potential prison sentence ranging from a minimum of five years to a maximum of 20 years. Additionally, discharging a firearm inside a dwelling is a Class 4 felony, which can result in a prison term of two to 10 years. Both of these charges also include the possibility of a $100,000 fine.
The Virginia criminal code defines malicious wounding as causing bodily injury to a person through means such as shooting, stabbing, cutting, or wounding, with the intent to maim, disfigure, disable, or kill. If Bieniemy is found guilty of using a firearm in the commission of a felony, a mandatory minimum prison sentence of three years would be imposed, to be served consecutively with any punishment for the primary felony.
Online court records indicate that Bieniemy was arraigned on Monday morning. A preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled for August 31.
Impact on the Chiefs and Bieniemy’s Role
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid confirmed on Monday that Mia Bieniemy was in stable condition and announced that Eric Bieniemy would temporarily step away from the team. Eric Bieniemy had been with the Chiefs at training camp in St. Joseph, Missouri, earlier on Sunday but was not present for Monday’s workout, which was closed to the public and involved rookies, quarterbacks, and a few veterans.
Reid expressed support for the Bieniemy family, stating that they have a strong support system within the team. He emphasized that personal matters take precedence, and Eric Bieniemy would be given the opportunity to address the situation. Reid did not specify how long Bieniemy would be absent from the team’s activities.
During Eric Bieniemy’s 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. The team is scheduled to have Tuesday off, with the first full-squad workout at Missouri Western State University set for Wednesday.
Eric Bieniemy initially joined Reid’s staff in Kansas City in 2013, serving as the running backs coach for five seasons before being promoted to offensive coordinator. Over the subsequent five seasons, he played a role in guiding one of the NFL’s top offenses, helping the Chiefs reach three Super Bowls and win two of them. After interviewing for several head-coaching positions without success, Bieniemy moved to the Commanders in 2023. Following a season there and a stint as offensive coordinator at UCLA, and then as running backs coach with the Bears, he returned to the Chiefs this season to replace Matt Nagy as offensive coordinator. He was present for offseason workouts and the start of training camp last week.
Source: eu.usatoday.com
