Former NFL Player Phillip Adams Kills 5 Before Killing Himself in South Carolina

According to ABC News, the gunman who killed five people in South Carolina was former NFL player Phillip Adams, who committed suicide early this morning.

Out of the five people shot, a prominent doctor was included. Apparently, Adams’s parents lived near the doctor’s home in Rock Hill, and that same doctor previously treated him.

At around midnight, Phillips killed himself with a .45-caliber weapon.

The York County coroner’s office reported that Dr. Robert Lesslie, 70, and his wife, Barbara Lesslie, 69, were pronounced dead at the scene, and grandchildren Adah Lesslie, 9, and Noah Lesslie, 5.

James Lewis, 38, of Gaston, a worker at the house, was shot outside. A sixth person was taken to the hospital with “serious gunshot wounds,” according to York County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Trent Faris.

Deputies were called to the Lesslies’ home about 4:45 p.m. Wednesday, and the perpetrator was discovered in a nearby home after a long search.

“We have found the person we believe is responsible, and we are with him at this time, and that’s all I can say about the suspect,” Faris said, adding that they had no reason to believe anyone else was involved. “We are currently at his house, and we are serving a search warrant.”

According to his website, Lesslie had served as an emergency room doctor in Rock Hill for decades, becoming board-certified in both emergency medicine and occupational medicine and working as the emergency department medical director at Rock Hill General Hospital for nearly 15 years.

He also wrote a weekly medical column for The Charlotte Observer and created two urgent care centers in the city. He also published a book called “Angels in the ER,” which collected “inspiring true stories” from his time working in the emergency room.

“I know without a doubt that life is fragile,” Lesslie wrote. “I have come to understand that humility may be the greatest virtue. And I am convinced we need to take the time to say the things we deeply feel to the people we deeply care about.”

Lesslie was well-known in the Rock Hill culture, according to Faris.

“Dr. Lesslie was my doctor growing up,” Faris said. “Dr. Lesslie has been one of those people that everybody knows. He started Riverview Medical Center in Rock Hill, and it’s been a staple in Rock Hill for years.”