[Updated at 3:43 p.m. ET] Talking to reporters outside Seau's home, a distraught Luisa Mauga Seau, the ex-player's mother, repeatedly thanked those who had shown love to her son.
"I pray to God, take me! Leave my son! But it's too late," she said in tears as those nearby tried to console her.
[Updated at 3:34 p.m. ET] The Oceanside, California, police chief says Junior Seau's death is being investigated as a suicide.
Authorities received a call from a woman who said she was his girlfriend. She said she found the former Pro Bowler unconscious with a gunshot wound to his chest Wednesday morning, Oceanside Police Chief Frank McCoy said in a news conference.
Police officers and firefighters went to the house and found him in one of the bedrooms. They tried to revive him, to no avail, McCoy said, adding that a handgun was found near Seau's body.
[Posted at 3:18 p.m. ET] The San Diego Chargers issued a statement on their website regarding "the passing" of their former Pro Bowl linebacker Junior Seau, who reportedly killed himself in his Oceanside, California, home Wednesday.
"Everyone at the Chargers is in complete shock and disbelief right now. We ask everyone to stop what they're doing and send their prayers to Junior and his family," the statement said.
After TMZ and other media outlets reported a police presence at his home early Wednesday, the Chargers tweeted that they had no information on the matter. Minutes later, they announced that a conference call with Coach Norv Turner had been canceled before issuing the statement on Seau's passing.
"The outpouring of emotion is no surprise," the team tweeted shortly after 3 p.m. ET.
Seau played 20 seasons in the NFL, 13 of which came with the Chargers. He played his last seven seasons with the Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots.
Read CNN's full coverage of Junior Seau's apparent suicide
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This is actually much bigger news than just the suicide of a sports star. The NFL is getting more and more serious questions about the true effect of the brain damage that NFL players seem to get when playing. There is a class action lawsuit against the NFL on behalf of former players who have brain damage from multiple concussions. This is just more possible proof that these NFL players are in far more danger than we think.
You are 100% correct. This will be a huge blow to the NFL. Seau was one of the biggest hitters in the history of the NFL and had several concussions during his career. This is thelast thing the NFL wanted to see.
As a native of San Diego who got to watch Junior rise as, first, a high school star through his pro days, I can assure you that this has more to do with him as a person than the effects of play on him. When my parents were on the same flight to Hawaii over 10 years ago, he sat in the back of the plane, far away from his family. And whenever he was present at his restaurants, he wasn't the nice guy he tried to portray.
good riddance....too weak to stay strong.....glad this pos is off my earth
Like your mother
Hey BC, put your real name up so we can respond in person.
Your lack of intelligence is astonishing.
boring.
I feel sorry for you.
Yeah, what's 'BC' mean? B.a.s.t.a.r.d C.h.i.l.d ???
have some respect fella.
If you have nothing constructive to say, don't say anything. It's better to keep your mouth shut and not let people know how stupid you are than it is to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
Really? What an evil person you are.
Dude, you are an idiot.
You are a very sad and twisted person to think this way. That is one of the most horrible and inconsiderate things I have ever read from a human being.
I know that you are an obvious troll so I won't talk about your trolling effort but yourself as an individual. You spend your time mocking those that die and show no sympathy towards them. People like you make the world a worst place. I don't hope that you will die but rather, I hope you live forever. I hope that everyone you know and care for are taken from you and that you are alone for the rest of your days. Seau was a decent football player but more importantly, he did a lot of positive things for the San Diego community, you on the other hand are a parasite on society. Do us all a favor and leave, You have no value to society and you will live out the rest of your days bitter and cold.
Hey BC go kick rocks in front of a bus.
Not only was he a great football player, he was a great philanthropist. BS – crawl back under the rhino dung you came from you pos.
What the hell kind of response is that? That's ridiculous!
I'm not sure what surprises me more, your lack of intelligence or your lack of compassion. Or perhaps the two are related.
When did you take over ownership of earth??? You're lame if you didn't like the guy keep it to yourself or post it on your fb page. You don't need to comment on here about it. He was a nice guy and meant a lot to A LOT of people. Keep it to yourself dude.
You are not human- whatever your opinion of him have some respect for the dead you twit. I can tell you The ENTIRE CITY of SAN DIEGO will be hurting for this guy. No matter what WE stick together! Stop hating- grow a heart.
Steroids!!!
Concussions
what wonder was going through his mind for him to commit suicide.
RIP big fella
a bullet was going though his mind
I'm thinking ... the bullet?
How OLD was he? Don't think the "story" ever said. Can't get any details from these network TV types.
"Junior Seau had a stellar career with the San Diego Chargers. He was found dead Wednesday at age 43."
Reading is fun for mentals
43. Says it on the photo caption.
It says under his picture that he was 43.
Jim Rome reported 43.
according to the report, he was 43.
Right under the picture...he was 43.
It's supposed to be in the story. Although, I know people look mostly at the pictures.
You mean something like the line under his picture saying he was 43?
So sad that a man with this kind of popularity would end his own life. My heart goes out to his family and I hope he is resting in God's arms.
if you believe in god then you must know that suicide = hell
I remember being at the Calico Grill in Island Park and Junior Seau was drinking a can of beer at the outside bar, Guys thought he signed with the Giants and were asking him ,but he said he was just visiting friends. When he walked by he was HUGE! Too bad he felt the need to take his own life . Junior was a pleasure to watch on the football field
I wonder if there were previous reports of Seau having brain injury problems resulting from his years in football. That's a very hot topic in the game now. Just wondered if he complained of chronic brain injury after retiring.
hey Ray, zip it.
Not complaining about a head injury doesn't mean there wasn't a head injury, especially at LB, if he'd been a lineman or light playing CB I might agree, but given his position and the way he played his career (exactly what the NFL encouraged), I would be suprised if he doesn't have serious brain damage.
Sad. He was relatively young too. When I heard of his age at the time of death (without knowing the cause), I assumed he died of some issue that may be related to TBI (traumatic brain injury) since many NFL players suffer TBI. But suicide? Yikes. Hope his family is okay.
He shot himself in the heart. Another athlete desperate and in need of more mental health care. At least doctors can study his brain now.
RIP Junior. 55
That's why he shot himself in the heart, so the doctors could look at his brain. He must have known he had problems related to his football playing.
Dang!! RIP Junior Seau........Always loved your restaurant in San Diego.........Knew you had some problems a while back when you tried to drive off a cliff.....but didn't know it was this BAD......you will be surely missed...........
The fact that he commited suicide via shot to the chest makes me wonder if he did it so they can examine his brain after for damage caused by the NFL's lack of interest in player health during his playing years.
Could have been in consideration of giving his loved ones an open casket as well.
Sad. Think of the level of the despair one must reach to pull the trigger.
Truly a freak of nature athlete. I remember watching him break his arm live at the New England game during his last year and just walk off. So sad.
Head injuries from football is a serious issue. Seau is not the first NFL player to kill himself. My condolences to the family and fans of The Chargers.