Browns employee reportedly kills self at team facility

LOS ANGELES (AFP) –

Fans listen to the national anthem as an American flag is spread across the field at Cleveland Browns stadium in 2011. An assistant groundskeeper for the Browns killed himself at the NFL team’s practice facility, NFL.com reported Sunday, exacerbating an already traumatic weekend for the sport.

An assistant groundskeeper for the Cleveland Browns killed himself at the NFL team’s practice facility, NFL.com reported Sunday, exacerbating an already traumatic weekend for the sport.

The Browns released a statement on their website confirming that employee Eric Eucker had died.

“This is a terrible tragedy and our heartfelt condolences go out to Eric’s family. Eric was a good friend and colleague, and an outstanding employee. He will be missed by everyone in the Cleveland Browns organization.”

The team gave no details, but NFL.com said the Cuyahoga County medical examiner’s office had confirmed Eucker had been found dead of apparent hanging in a maintenance shed.

Eucker’s body was discovered on Saturday, the same day that Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher shot and killed his girlfriend.

Belcher killed her at a house in the city then drove to the team’s Arrowhead Stadium where he fatally shot himself outside the training facilities as some team personnel pleaded with him not to pull the trigger.