Celebrity Death Thread 2012

[Cail]

for those that dont follow the nfl:

Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher fatally shot his girlfriend Saturday, then drove to Arrowhead Stadium and committed suicide in front of his coach and general manager.

Authorities did not release a possible motive for the murder-suicide, though police said that Belcher and his girlfriend, 22-year-old Kasandra M. Perkins, had been arguing recently. The two of them have an infant child.

Belcher thanked general manager Scott Pioli and coach Romeo Crennel before shooting himself in the parking lot of the team's practice facility, police spokesman Darin Snapp said. Police had locked it down by midmorning and reporters were confined to the street just outside the gates.

The Chiefs said they will play the Carolina Panthers on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium as scheduled after discussing it with the league, Crennel and the club's captains.

The Panthers had been advised by the league earlier Saturday morning to travel to Kansas City as planned.

A spokesman for Kansas City told The Associated Press that Crennel plans to coach the team.

Belcher was a 25-year-old native of West Babylon, N.Y., on Long Island, who played college ball at Maine. He signed with the Chiefs an undrafted free agent, made the team and stayed with it for four years, moving into the starting lineup. He'd played in all 11 games this season.

"The entire Chiefs family is deeply saddened by today's events, and our collective hearts are heavy with sympathy, thoughts and prayers for the families and friends affected by this unthinkable tragedy," Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt said in a statement.

"We sincerely appreciate the expressions of sympathy and support we have received from so many in the Kansas City and NFL communities, and ask for continued prayers for the loved ones of those impacted," Hunt said. "We will continue to fully cooperate with the authorities and work to ensure that the appropriate counseling resources are available to all members of the organization."

Authorities reported receiving a call Saturday morning from a woman who said her daughter had been shot multiple times at a residence about five miles away from the Arrowhead complex. The call actually came from Belcher's mother, who referred to the victim as her daughter, leading to some initial confusion, police said.

Police then received a phone call from the Chiefs' training facility.

"The description matched the suspect description from that other address. We kind of knew what we were dealing with," Snapp said. The player was "holding a gun to his head" as he stood in front of the front doors of the practice facility.

"And there were Pioli and Crennel and another coach or employee was standing outside and appeared to be talking to him. It appeared they were talking to the suspect," Snapp said. "The suspect began to walk in the opposite direction of the coaches and the officers and that's when they heard the gunshot. It appears he took his own life."

The coaches told police they never felt in any danger, Snapp said.

Linebackers coach Gary Gibbs was also outside when the shooting occurred, a team official told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

"They said the player was actually thanking them for everything they'd done for him," he said. "They were just talking to him and he was thanking them and everything. That's when he walked away and shot himself."

Snapp said Belcher's mother told police the couple had recently been arguing.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the Chiefs and the families and friends of those who lost their lives in this terrible tragedy," the NFL said in a news release. "We have connected the Chiefs with our national team of professional counselors to support both the team and the families of those affected. We will continue to provide assistance in any way that we can."

Belcher is the latest among several players and NFL retirees to die from self-inflicted gunshot wounds in the past couple of years. The death of the beloved star Junior Seau, who shot himself in the chest in at his California home in May, sent shockwaves around the league.

Kansas City Mayor Sly James said that he spoke to Pioli after the incident, and while he refused to discuss the GM's emotional state, the mayor said Pioli was "extremely concerned that fans of this team are not disappointed and not left in the cold."

"I think they think there's an obligation to the people of this city, the fans of the team and the fans of the other team to play the game," James said.

The Chiefs, who were expected to contend for the AFC West title, are 1-10 and mired in an eight-game losing streak.

"The Oakland Raiders are empathizing with the Chiefs organization," the Chiefs' AFC West rivals said in a statement. "Our hearts are wounded by such an unimaginable tragedy in our NFL family."

Belcher, had started 44 of 59 games in his four seasons for the Chiefs, recording a career-high 61 tackles in 2011.

Raibonne Charles, a former Maine defensive lineman and teammate, said Belcher played the game with passion and was "a passionate person in life."

Charles said he hadn't talked to Belcher much since he made it to the NFL, but that everyone is obviously shocked.

"To be honest with you, I kind of just crumbled inside when I first heard the news," Charles said.

Maine coach Jack Cosgrove said Jovan was a "tremendous student-athlete."

"His move to the NFL was in keeping with his dreams," Cosgrove said in a statement. "This is an indescribably horrible tragedy. At this difficult time, our thoughts and prayers are with Jovan, Kasandra and their families."

Charles described Belcher as an undersized linebacker whose 40-yard dash time wasn't exceptional. But he was an inspiration for a lot of guys at the school because he made it to the NFL despite his shortcomings, Charles said.

"The state of Maine tends to take a lot of pride in guys who may not necessarily be from the state but play for the University of Maine and make the NFL," Charles said. "I was often asked about him. 'Did you get to play with that guy Jovan?' This is definitely going to be devastating to the whole state."

[MaachaQ]

As a mother I couldn't help thinking "what happened to the baby?" >.> Always a shame when young people choose suicide, even if one path closes to them they have so much potential which is just wasted.

[psychodwarf]

RIP Rick Majerus. http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...at-64/1739971/ Heckuva coach.

[Olo401]

Dave Brubeck, Pioneering Jazz Pianist & Composer

[Kais]

goddammit noooooo brubeck

[Jaybar]

Ancient modern architect, Oscar Niemeyer, dead. You might remember him from such architecture endeavors as "UN Headquarters of NY", and "Master planner for Brasilia".





Definitely didn't like his work, but shit he was 90+ and still practicing.

[Slapper]

Dave Brubeck, Pioneering Jazz Pianist & Composer

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[tisiphone]

Sir Patrick Moore:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20657939

Sir Patrick Moore, astronomer and broadcaster, dies aged 89

Sir Patrick Moore died at his home after having spent time last week in hospital
British astronomer and broadcaster Sir Patrick Moore has died, aged 89, his friends and colleagues have said.

He "passed away peacefully at 12:25 BST this afternoon" at his home in Selsey, West Sussex, they said in a statement.

Sir Patrick presented the BBC programme The Sky At Night for over 50 years, making him the longest-running host of the same television show ever.

He wrote dozens of books on astronomy and his research was used by the US and the Russians in their space programmes.

A statement by his friends and staff said: "After a short spell in hospital last week, it was determined that no further treatment would benefit him, and it was his wish to spend his last days in his own home, Farthings, where he today passed on, in the company of close friends and carers and his cat Ptolemy.

"Over the past few years, Patrick, an inspiration to generations of astronomers, fought his way back from many serious spells of illness and continued to work and write at a great rate, but this time his body was too weak to overcome the infection which set in, a few weeks ago.

"He was able to perform on his world record-holding TV programme The Sky at Night right up until the most recent episode.

"His executors and close friends plan to fulfil his wishes for a quiet ceremony of interment, but a farewell event is planned for what would have been Patrick's 90th birthday in March 2013."

'Father figure'
Patrick Alfred Caldwell-Moore was born at Pinner, Middlesex on 4 Mar 1923.

Heart problems meant he spent much of his childhood being educated at home and he became an avid reader. His mother gave him a copy of GF Chambers' book, The Story of the Solar System, and this sparked his lifelong passion for astronomy.

When war came he turned down a place at Cambridge and lied about his age to join the RAF, serving as a navigator with Bomber Command and rising to the rank of Flight Lieutenant.

But the war brought him a personal tragedy after his fiancee, Lorna, was killed when an ambulance she was driving was hit by a bomb. He never married.

Queen guitarist Brian May, who published a book on astronomy written with Sir Patrick, described him as a "dear friend, and a kind of father figure to me".

He said: "Patrick will be mourned by the many to whom he was a caring uncle, and by all who loved the delightful wit and clarity of his writings, or enjoyed his fearlessly eccentric persona in public life.

"Patrick is irreplaceable. There will never be another Patrick Moore. But we were lucky enough to get one."

British space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock said she was first inspired to "look at the night sky" through Sir Patrick.

"Through his regular monthly programmes he was telling us what to look for and what was out there and that was a real inspiration.

"Why [The Sky At Night] was so successful is because of his passion. He branched an amazing era, he was broadcasting before we actually went into space and so he saw a change in our understanding of the universe and he took us all the way through that, right up to today."

Professor Brian Cox posted a message on Twitter saying: "Very sad news about Sir Patrick. Helped inspire my love of astronomy. I will miss him!"

[Abandon]

i thought you said roger moore. moving on

[kuronosan]

Some Mexican singer Jenni Rivera apparently dead in a plane crash.

[remdynex]

Some Mexican singer Jenni Rivera apparently dead in a plane crash.

so.....she got la bamba'd?

[kuronosan]

It would seem like Mexican singers just can't help but die young. It's weird too because some news places are going "oh she's missing and the plane went down" and others are going "bitch be dead".

I don't even know who she is but the wife and I YT'd her to listen to her music.

It's the quickest I've ever shut the laptop.

[Grey Jorildyn]

Typical hispanic celebrity death reaction though. Nobody really heard of or cared about this person but s/he died and now we gotta talk about it for like a week on spanish television and pretend like they were the best thing since sliced bread.

It's all I hear about when I get home. My grandmother is glued to channel 41 all damn day.

[Xno Kappa]

Channel 41 lmao!

[AidenCarby]

Typical hispanic celebrity death reaction though. Nobody really heard of or cared about this person but s/he died and now we gotta talk about it for like a week on spanish television and pretend like they were the best thing since sliced bread.

It's all I hear about when I get home. My grandmother is glued to channel 41 all damn day.

This, also fucking lol it's gonna be on univision and telemundo all fucking month now.

[Xno Kappa]

Channel 41 and 47. All day erry day.

[Rhinox]

This, also fucking lol it's gonna be on univision and telemundo all fucking month now.

You seem upset. Didn't know you were a big fan of telenovelas

[AidenCarby]

You seem upset. Didn't know you were a big fan of telenovelas

Not really, just pointing something out. Cute to see your constant dickriding spreads beyond the NFL thread.

[Rhinox]

Not really, just pointing something out. Cute to see your constant dickriding spreads beyond the NFL thread.

So you're upset about something a channel you don't watch is running 24/7.



Okay

[Grey Jorildyn]

There a reason you are instigating in this thread dude? Seems kinda petty.