The man who killed five people in a shooting in South Carolina on Wednesday has reportedly been identified as former NFL player Phillip Adams.
A source briefed on the investigation told Meg Kinnard of The Associated Press that Adams is the man who shot and killed five people, including well-known doctor Robert Lesslie. Adams then shot himself and committed suicide early Thursday morning.
Adams grew up in Rock Hill, S.C., and his parents reportedly live near Lesslie’s home. Lesslie, 70, and his wife Barbara, 69, were pronounced dead at the scene along with their two grandchildren, who were 9 and 5. A man who had been working at the home, 38-year-old James Lewis, was found shot to death outside. A sixth person was hospitalized with “serious gunshot wounds,” according to the York County Sheriff’s Office.
Adams had reportedly been treated by Dr. Lesslie.
Police were called to the victims’ home at around 4:45 p.m. on Wednesday and spent hours searching for the suspect. They found him in a nearby home just after midnight. The investigation is ongoing, but The Associated Press reports that Adams was identified as the shooter.
Adams was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the seventh round of the 2010 NFL Draft. The former South Carolina State star went on to play for five other teams, the last of which was the Atlanta Falcons in 2015. He suffered multiple injuries during his NFL career, including concussions and a broken ankle.
