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Two harrowing 911 calls revealed the moment a former professional NFL player killed a doctor and his family in a hail of bullets after breaking into their home.
Defensive back Phillip Adams, who previously played for the 49ers, shot himself after gunning down Dr Robert Lesslie, his wife and two young grandkids.
The York County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Adams killed himself in a bedroom in his parents’ home following the massacre, The Sun reports.
Police said that he used a .45 caliber weapon and was found with a single gunshot wound to the head. During the attack, a 9mm gun was also used.
911 operators said they received a call from someone “screaming that he had been shot.”
A second call, from a witness who was mowing grass, was released where the man told dispatchers “I think there’s been a bad shooting.”
The footballer was wearing a hoodie and camouflage pants at the time of the incident when he forced entry into the doctor’s home, cops said.
His dad, Alonzo Adams, told WCNC: “He’s a good kid, I think the football messed him up.
“I don’t think he ever did anybody any harm.”
He also said his son did know Lesslie and his family.
The Associated Press reports Adams had also previously been treated by Leslie “a long time ago”.
Following the alleged incident, it was revealed that Adams had a rap sheet which included charges for carrying a concealed gun and assault.
Adams, 33, played in 78 NFL games over five seasons for six teams and suffered concussions during his time in the league.
The York County Sheriff’s Office said they had searched for hours before finding the suspect in a nearby home.
The York County coroner’s office said the 70-year-old doctor, and his wife, Barbara Lesslie, 69, were pronounced dead at the scene along with grandchildren Adah Lesslie, 9, and Noah Lesslie, 5.
A fifth victim, James Lewis, 38, from Gaston, was found dead outside the property. Authorities said he had been working at the home when he was shot.
His father, Tom, told a FOX46 reporter: “I keep on thinking I’m gonna wake up and this will all have faded away as a bad dream. A car goes by here and I’m expecting James to come crawling up. It’s unreal” He went on to describe Lewis as his “best friend.”
In a statement, Lewis’ employer GSM Services said that they are “heartbroken from the events.”
Lewis’ parents told the journalist that he was fixing Dr Lesslie’s AC when the incident took place.
York County Sheriff’s Office’s spokesperson Trent Faris said a sixth person was hospitalised with “serious gunshot wounds.” They are in critical condition.
The victim was identified by WBTV as father-of-three Robert Shook. His family said that he is fighting for his life and has received multiple surgeries.
A safety and special teams player from South Carolina State, Adams joined the 49ers in 2010 as a seventh-round draft pick.
Rarely a starter, Adams also was with New England, Seattle, Oakland and the New York Jets, finishing his career with the Atlanta Falcons in 2015.
As a rookie late in the 2010 season, Adams suffered a severe ankle injury that required surgery that included several screws being inserted into the leg.
He never played for the 49ers again, getting released just before the 2011 season began and signing with New England.
He moved next to the Raiders, where he had two concussions in a three-game period in 2012.
Whether Adams suffered long-lasting injuries from his concussions as a player wasn’t immediately clear.
Adams was arrested and charged for carrying a concealed gun on July 15, 2016, with online records showing his mugshot. The outcome of the case is unknown.
He was later arrested for simple assault and battery in 2009 but was found not guilty at trial and the case was disposed.
A biography page of Dr. Lesslie said he and his wife of 35 years raised four children.
Lesslie has been practising in Rock Hill since 1981, according to the Riverview Medical Centre website.
The Lesslie family have since released a statement, saying: “We are truly in the midst of the unimaginable.
“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.”
They added that their “hearts are bent towards forgiveness and peace, toward love and connectedness, toward celebration and unity.”
— This story was originally published on the-sun.com and has been republished with permission
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