Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland died by apparent suicide at the age of 24 late on Wednesday night.
Kneeland was discovered dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after fleeing Texas State troopers at around 10:30pm local time on Wednesday.
Kneeland was in the midst of just his second season in the NFL when he died overnight. His family and ‘shattered’ agent, Jonathan Perzley, confirmed the ‘tremendous loss.’
Texas Department of Public Safety troopers attempted to stop Kneeland for a traffic violation on the Dallas North Tollway, according to a statement shared by the DPS. However, he reportedly refused to pull over, sparking a subsequent car chase that resulted in the pursuing authorities losing sight of Kneeland’s vehicle.
Kneeland’s vehicle was later discovered abandoned after it had crashed on Dallas Parkway. The DPS, alongside the Frisco Police Department, searched the immediate area, where the football player was found deceased.
The defensive lineman’s distraught girlfriend had also sounded the alarm to the police after she received a concerning text message from the NFL star, saying that he would ‘end it all.’
Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland has passed away suddenly at 24
The 24-year-old football player is pictured with his girlfriend, Catalina Mancera
His ‘shattered’ agent, Jonathan Perzley, confirmed the loss as the NFL paid tribute