Read Full Statement From Dr. Robert Lesslie's Family After Shooting by Phillip Adams in South Carolina
The family members of a slain 70-year-old Rock Hill, South Carolina physician, Dr. Robert Lesslie, responded with shock and a tearful commemoration in what local authorities allege was the mass killing of five people Wednesday by a former NFL player.
The prominent South Carolina doctor was found dead alongside his wife, 69-year-old Barbara Lesslie; his two grandchildren, 9-year-old Adah Lesslie and 5-year-old Noah Lesslie; and a man who was working at the Lesslie's home during the time of the killings, 38-year-old James Lewis from Gaston.
The alleged killer, ex-NFL cornerback Phillip Adams, committed suicide with a .45-caliber weapon following the incident, the York County Sheriff's office said Thursday.
The shooting happened just before 5 p.m. on Marshall Road Wednesday evening.
The four Lesslie siblings wrote the following statement published here in full:
"On behalf of the Lesslie, Alexander, and Kulbok clans, we would like to address the outpouring of heartbreak, shock, grief, and support from our family, friends, and community.
"We are truly in the midst of the unimaginable. The losses we are suffering cannot be uttered at this time.
"While we know there are no answers that will satisfy the question "why," we are sure of one thing: we do not grieve as those without hope. Our hope is found in the promise of Jesus Christ, and we are enveloped by peace that surpasses all understanding. To that end, our hearts are bent toward forgiveness and peace. Toward love and connectedness. Toward celebration and unity. We honor all of those involved in this story with prayers and compassion specifically for the Shook family, the Lewis family, and the Adams family.
"As Robert Lesslie would say, when peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll, it is well with my soul.
"If you would like to do something for the family, Adah and Noah would want you to stock the free pantries and libraries in your community. Barbara and Robert would want you to be good stewards of what you are given, leaving every place better than it was before you got there.
"Adah, Noah, Barbara, Robert, and the rest of the family would ask any memorials or gifts to be sent to Camp Joy North Carolina (918 South Pleasantburg Dr., Greenville, SC 29607) in honor of hope and the promise of eternity."
Newsweek reached out to the York County Sheriff's Office Thursday afternoon for any additional updates on the status of the family and community at large following the incident.
