The 27-year-old son of Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy faces three felony charges after allegedly shooting his mother multiple times at the family's Ashburn, Virginia, home Sunday evening.
Loudoun County Sheriff's Office deputies arrived at the 20000 block of Northpark Drive in Ashburn at approximately 7:32 p.m. on Sunday, July 26, responding to a report of a shooting. Inside the home, they found Mia Bieniemy, 57, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. She had called 911 herself after being shot, USA TODAY reported.
Mia Bieniemy was transported to a nearby hospital with serious injuries. Her son, Elijah Zion Bieniemy, was arrested at the scene, charged with malicious wounding, use of a firearm in commission of a felony, and discharge of a firearm inside a dwelling. He was taken to the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center and held without bond.
Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman told ABC 7 News in Washington, D.C., on Monday that the victim had reported the shooting herself.
"She had called in, the mother, who we know, had called in the shooting, and it was involving the son, so that's where we're at right now."
The New York Post reported that Mia Bieniemy sustained gunshot wounds to the chest and arm. She was listed in stable condition as of Monday. The sheriff's office said the investigation remains ongoing and that there is no believed threat to the public.
FOX 5 DC obtained footage showing Elijah Bieniemy being detained by responding officers at the scene. He was arraigned Monday morning. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for August 31.
No motive for the alleged shooting has been released. Authorities have not described what led to the incident or whether anyone else was inside the home at the time. That a mother was shot inside her own home, and had to dial 911 herself to get help, underscores the grim reality of domestic shootings that continue to devastate American families.
Eric Bieniemy, 57, had returned to the Kansas City Chiefs as offensive coordinator for the 2026 season after stints with the Washington Commanders in 2023 and the Chicago Bears in 2025. He originally held the Chiefs' OC job from 2018 to 2022. Just one day before the shooting, on Saturday, July 25, he spoke with USA TODAY Sports at training camp about his decision to come back to Kansas City.
Fox News confirmed that Eric Bieniemy was away at training camp when the shooting took place at the family's Virginia home, located in the same city as the Washington Commanders' practice facility.
By Monday, Bieniemy had stepped away from the team to be with his family. Head coach Andy Reid addressed reporters after training camp practice that day, confirming Mia Bieniemy's condition and announcing a staffing change.
Reid told reporters:
"Our hearts go out to Eric Bieniemy and his family. Thoughts and prayers with them.... Mia is stable, which is a plus."
Reid continued, as AP News reported:
"She's a saint, we all know that, those of you that know her. One of God's great blessings. But things happen. And you have to work through it."
Reid gave no timetable for Bieniemy's return but expressed confidence in his coordinator's resilience, saying Bieniemy "will work through it" and has "a great support group" with the team. Incidents of gun violence that strike inside the home remain among the most difficult for families and communities to process, a pattern seen in cases from Mississippi to Virginia.
Reid named pass game coordinator Joe Bleymaier as interim offensive coordinator while Bieniemy is away. Bleymaier has been with the Chiefs organization since 2016, when he joined as an offensive quality control assistant. He rose to pass game coordinator in 2023.
The Chiefs issued a brief statement Monday acknowledging the situation.
"The club is aware of the incident involving Eric Bieniemy's family. Out of respect for their privacy, we won't have a comment at this time. Our thoughts and prayers are with them."
The Washington Examiner confirmed the three felony charges and noted that the sheriff's office considers the matter an isolated incident with no ongoing public threat.
Several key questions remain unanswered. Authorities have not disclosed a motive. They have not said whether anyone else was present in the home. The hospital where Mia Bieniemy is being treated has not been named, and her medical status beyond "stable" has not been updated publicly. Shooting investigations tied to family or domestic settings often take weeks to produce a full account of what happened and why.
Elijah Bieniemy's preliminary hearing is set for August 31. He remains in custody without bond.
A woman shot inside her own home called for her own help. Her son sits in a jail cell. And a family that was, by all accounts, together just days ago is now separated by hospital walls, iron bars, and questions nobody has answered yet. Whatever happened inside that house, the law owes this family, and the public, a full accounting.