Sheriff gives new details in SC mass shooting that killed 6. ‘We don’t know why.’

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Sheriff gives new details in SC mass shooting that killed 6. ‘We don’t know why.’

Andrew Dys
·3 min read

A former NFL player fired as many as 20 shots Wednesday when he killed five people and wounded a sixth after a break-in at a neighbor’s home. Then he killed himself, the York County Sheriff said.

Philip Adams, 32, forced his way into the home of Dr. Robert Lesslie after shooting two air conditioning workers outside the house, York County Sheriff Kevin Tolson said. Inside the house, Adams then shot Lesslie, 70, Lesslie’s wife Barbara, 69, and two of their grandchildren Adah and Noah ages 9 and 5.

James Lewis, 38, an air conditioning technician also was killed.

Robert Shook, another technician whose age has not been released, was injured and remains in serious condition, according to Tolson and other police sources

After shooting the six victims, Adams then went to his family’s home down the street where he later killed himself after the house was surrounded by police, Tolson said.

What happened?

The motive for the shooting remains unclear, Tolson said. Some media reports and information from friends have said Adams, a neighbor, had been a patient of Dr. Lesslie, but Tolson said his detectives have not confirmed that.

“We don’t know why this happened yet,” Tolson said at a news conference Thursday concerning the mass shooting that has gained national attention.

A 911 call from the heating and air company and then a 911 call from a landscaper alerted police to the shootings, Tolson said.

The landscaper said there were four people shot, and the landscaper saw Adams walk out of the house after hearing the shots.

“Theres’ two workers outside,” The landscaper said in the 911 call. “And four shot inside.”

The 911 call from the landscaper indicated as many as 20 shots were fired at the six victims, according to the call played at the news conference.

Adams used two handguns, a 9 MM and a .45 caliber, in the shootings, Tolson said.

“We can say right now there were multiple gunshots,” Tolson said.

Deputies arrived on scene and found the five dead victims and the sixth who was wounded. The four members of the Lesslie family were found shot to death in a back bedroom, Tolson said. One HVAC technician was deceased in the driveway near his van and the second wounded HVAC technician was alive after being shot near a van and had called his office to say he was shot.

“I’ve been shot, please call 911!” the technician from the Gaston County, N.C. HVAC company told people at his office.

Soon after police arrived at the shooting scene, police knew Adams was the suspect because of evidence Adams left behind. Tolson declined to say what that evidence was.

At the Adams family home nearby, deputies removed Adams’ parents from the home while Adams was inside, Tolson said. Adams’ parents were not aware of what had happened, Tolson said.

Sheriff’s office negotiators then tried to reach Adams inside the home, but he did not respond, Tolson said.

Deputies then went into the home and found Adams dead from what police and the coroner say was a self-inflicited gunshot.

Tolson read a statement from the Lesslie family during the news conference. In that statement, the family said “our hearts are bent toward forgiveness and peace.”

Tolson said Dr. Lesslie was a “pillar in this community.”

Check back for updates.

Kevin Tolson, York County Sheriff, said at a news conference

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