Seau's death ruled suicide

SAN DIEGO, May 4 (UPI) -- The San Diego County medical examiner's office ruled Thursday that former NFL linebacker Junior Seau had committed suicide.

Seau's body was found Wednesday at his home in Oceanside, Calif. The autopsy conducted by the medical examiner confirmed Seau died of a gunshot wound to the chest.

The death of a player almost certain to be voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame added intensity to the debate concerning player safety within the NFL.

Less than 24 hours after Seau's death, an additional 100 former NFL players filed suit against the league, alleging the dangers of concussions had been hidden from them. More than 1,500 former players are involved in lawsuits against the NFL.

San Diego police said no suicide note was found in Seau's home. There was no indication whether further examinations will be conducted to determine whether Seau had suffered from concussion-related problems.