This article discusses suicide and suicidal ideation. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
Prior to his death, Marshawn Kneeland was involved in a chase with Texas state troopers that topped speeds of 145 mph and led to an extensive ground search, according to documents, police dashcam, body-worn camera and drone footage obtained by USA TODAY Sports.
An offense report and officer body camera footage from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) detailed the last hours of the Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman’s life.
Police say Kneeland, 24, died by suicide in the sometime overnight Nov. 5-6. Authorities had earlier pursued Kneeland on the night of Nov. 5 while he drove his Dodge Challenger, which police initially believed had been stolen. The chase reached may have reached speeds of 160 mph, one officer said in the footage. They discovered his body in the early morning of Nov. 6.
Body camera footage details reaction to Kneeland crash, ensuing search
The chase began at 10:33 p.m. Nov. 5 as Kneeland drove northbound on the Dallas North Tollway. But the trooper in pursuit lost sight of him before coming upon the car after a crash with a pickup truck at 10:42 p.m.
According to body camera footage, the driver of the truck told a trooper, “I saw him in my rearview mirror coming as fast as he was. I was like ‘Oh my God,’ he’s not stopping and then he just plowed into me.”
Police found an emptied gun holster in Kneeland’s crashed car and believed him to be armed; authorities were unaware the suspect was a Cowboys player at that point in the search.
Police fired pepper balls, deployed K-9 officers in search
Catalina Mancera, Kneeland’s girlfriend, arrived near the scene and was detained by police. After she relayed her connection to Kneeland and that she was tracking his location, a Frisco police officer said:
“The girlfriend has his location. But she’s not giving it to us … “She’s like, ‘He’s going to kill himself. I can’t tell you where he’s at.’”
Other footage showed police discussing that they were looking for a NFL player who had texted goodbye to family members. Police found Kneeland dead from suicide in a portable bathroom about 30 minutes later.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. You are not alone.