Police say Adams took his own life as officers were closing in on him. Barbara and Robert Lesslie sang in the choir. What matters most is what happens next,"he cried. Phillip Adams: Robert Lesslie, family dead in South Carolina shooting , "He wasn't a monster. Lewis and the surviving victim -- who was in critical condition following the shooting -- were air conditioning techs with the company GSM Services and were found shot beside their work vans, York County Sheriff Kevin Tolsonsaid. Phillip Adams, a former National Football League player, was named as the perpetrator. Adams will be tested for chronic traumatic encephalopathy, commonly known as CTE, a degenerative brain disease found in those with a history of repetitive brain trauma, according to the York County Coroner's Office. A sixth person was also shot and survived, officials said. Shook also told deputies there were more victims in the residence, and they found the four Lesslie family members dead in the workout room inside. "He had treated me in the past," he said. November 25, 2021. Lesslie's2008 book, "Angels in the ER," told the stories of ER patients and staff, and for seven years, hewrote a weekly medical column for the Charlotte Observer. Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. All of us who knew Philip are shaking our heads. He had several documented injuries in his career. A second employee wasn't moving, the man told 911 operators in a call played by authorities during a news conference. Republican Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina has offered his condolences to the five victims who were shot in the Rock Hill shooting that happened overnight on . Cowboys cornerback Kevin Smith, who trained Adams, said the former NFL player had opened a shop selling smoothies before COVID-19 hit. As a rookie, Adams suffered a severe ankle injury and never played for the 49ers again. I loved him. Tolson said there was no indication the gunman, Phillip Adams, had a doctor-patient relationship with Robert Lesslie. Lewis was working at the home for acompany that specializes in air conditioning, roof and heating repair, police said. Adams brain will be tested for signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE),whichis believed to cause mood swings and changes in temperament. Thursday marks a year since police say former NFL player Phillip Adams killed six people at a home on Marshall Road in Rock Hill before taking his own life. Faris said Lesslie was very well known in the Rock Hill community. Ex-NFL player Phillip Adams kills 5, injures 1 in Rock Hill, SC before killing himself. The victims were identified as: Dr. Robert Lesslie, 70; his wife, Barbara Lesslie, 69; and their grandchildrenAdah Lesslie, 9, and Noah Lesslie, 5. I cant fathom it. Dr. Ann McKee, a neuropathologist and expert on neurogenerative diseases at Boston University, said Adams had severe CTE in both frontal lobes of his brain. "One is unresponsive, another is talking slurred, and he can't talk. Left to Right Brendon Meyers, Jarod Nelson (courtesy of the Rock Hill Police Department). Five people -- including two children -- were killed in a mass shooting at a Rock Hill home Wednesday afternoon. Oakland Raiders cornerback Phillip Adams carries the ball on a 30-yard punt return against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Oakland, Calif., Sept. 15, 2013. 0:59. RELATED: Shooting suspect Phillip Adams played 6 NFL seasons. Phillip Adams: Father of Rock Hill mass shooting suspect says NFL The gunman would not have been eligible for testing as part of a broad settlement between the league and its former players over such injuries because he hadn't retired by 2014. York County Sheriff Kevin Tolson told a news conference that investigators had not yet determined a motive for Wednesdays mass shooting. He looked out at the crowd gathered for the funeral of Phillip Adams, who played in the NFL for six seasons and was a beloved son, brother, father and now a killer, too. On April 7, 2021, six people, including two children, were shot at a house in Rock Hill, South Carolina, United States. 'HE WAS BATTLING SOMETHING:'Phillip Adams' family says ex-NFL player was struggling after playing career, ANOTHER FORMER PLAYER, ANOTHER SHOOTING:Justin Bannan says head trauma from football is to blame. Allison Hope, who lives across from Adams parents home, about a mile from the Lesslies, said police allowed her to return home around 9 p.m. Wednesday. We need to have an awakening in our city to let the people know that this is not the direction we want to let our city to go in.". He had to not be in his right mind, obviously," Casterline said. McKee said Stage 2 CTE is associated with aggression, impulsivity, depression, paranoia, anxiety, poor executive function and memory loss. I was going to find him a job, but he wouldn't leave South Carolina because he had a son. Lesslie founded two urgent care centers and had traveled the country giving lectures to an emergency nurses group, his website said. He is being held until he is extricated back to Rock Hill. Casterline said he spoke regularly with Adams father, who left him a voicemail Wednesday morning. Ex-NFL player who killed 6 in Rock Hill had 'severe' CTE, doctor says Weve got a long way to go in our community in a lot of different ways, Mayor John Gettys told USA TODAY Sports. The medical and scientific communities will benefit from this publication and the NFL will continue to work with a wide range of experts to improve the health of current and former NFL athletes. We cannot say that we are surprised by these results, however, it is shocking to hear how severe his condition was. (Independent) Alonzo Adams, the father of former NFL player Phillip Adams, said his son shot six people, killing five, before killing himself in Rock Hill, South Carolina. The 32-year-old gunman played in 78 NFL games over five seasons for six teams. "I also want to send my sincere condolences to the family of James Lewis. If we dont dialogue and talk about it, well never be able to fix it.. Gift Article . In search of answers, Adams family donated his brain to Boston Universitys CTE Center, where Dr. Ann McKeefound he suffered from a severe case of a brain disease most often seen in athletes. Some may have better support systems, some are probably in jail. Eventually, they found him dead in a bedroom, Tolson said. A 911 caller reported finding a man on the ground early Tuesday on a street in Rock Hill. I think theres been a bad shooting, a different man said in a second 911 call, saying he was outside cutting his grass and heard about 20 shots fired at the Lesslie home before seeing someone leave the house. Phillip Adams. Ive never had a complaint, Chipley said. Tolson said officers found the two repairmen in the yard of the home. The family released a statement through the sheriff's office describing their grief andhope and calling for prayers for all involved, including the suspect's family. Rock Hill mass shooting. Jeff Lesslie, who lost his parents and his two children, said this in a statement shared with WCNC Charlotte: "It has been a year since our community came face to face with the unbelievable. Phillip Adams was the youngest of three siblings, and Alonzo Adams said he brought a shotgun when he took them fishing to a nearby pond to kill the water moccasins. There are people who are responsible, but when guns get in the hands of irresponsible people or people with mental illness or people who are out to get revenge on something, thats where the dynamics and direction goes into a negative feel.. "His 20-year career put him at high risk for development of CTE," McKee, who conducted the study on Adams' brain, said. RELATED: Could a head injury in sports lead to CTE? Adams often isolated himself, even as a player, his agent, Scott Casterline, told the AP. Phillip Adams shot 6 people on Wednesday, April 7, 2021 killing Dr. Robert Lesslie, his wife, two grand children and a Gaston HVAC worker. This is where they encounter initial gunshot wound victims outside of the home. Adams would not have been eligible for testing as part ofa broad settlementbetween the NFL and its former players over such injuries, because he hadnt retired by 2014. She said that of 24 former NFL players who died in their 20s and 30s, most of them had Stage 2 CTE. ", The NFL said in a statement, "Our hearts go out to the families and friends of the victims of these devastating tragedies.". Lewis was pronounced dead at the scene. Dr. Robert Lesslie, 70, and his wife, Barbara, 69, were pronounced dead in their home in Rock Hill along with grandchildren Adah Lesslie, 9, and Noah Lesslie, 5, the York County coroners office said. However, Tolson would not confirm that Adams had been the doctors patient. The timeline begins with the initial 911 call and ends with deputies confirming the suspect, 32-year-old Phillip Adams, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A man who had been working at the home, James Lewis, 38, from Gaston, was found shot to death outside. Tolson said Adams forced his way into the home, and police found evidence at the scene that tied him to the killings, though Tolson would notelaborate. I can say hes a good kid he was a good kid, and I think the football messed him up, Alonzo Adams told WCNC-TV. Casterline said he spoke regularly with Adams father, who left him a voicemail Wednesday morning. The sixth victim of a shooting in Rock Hill, South Carolina, earlier this week has died, the York County coroner announced Saturday. Adams' parents were evacuated from the home as police surrounded the house and attempted to have him surrender. [4], On April 8, 2021, the York County Sheriff's Office said in a press conference that the suspect was Adams. mass-shooting in Rock Hill, South Carolina. A sixth victim, Robert Shook, 38, of Cherryville, North Carolina, was flown to a Charlotte hospital, where he was in critical condition fighting hard for his life, said a cousin, Heather Smith Thompson. Tolson said both a .45-caliber and 9mm weapon were used in Wednesdays shooting. These men embody the values we strive to achieve at GSM and are family focused, up-beat, and wonderful team members who cared about all the people they encountered," the Longs said. He played in the NFL six years, most recently with the Atlanta Falcons, until the 2015 season. Lewis leaves behind a daughter and two sons, according to a GoFundMe. We definitely did notice signs of mental illness that was extremely concerning, that was not like we had ever seen. ROCK HILL, S.C. (FOX 46 CHARLOTTE) A second man wanted for murder in connection to a February homicide in Rock Hill was arrested in Kansas Tuesday, according to the Rock Hill Police Department. She said they spent hours negotiating with Phillip Adams, using a loudspeaker and sending in a robot to scan the house. Contributors include AP Pro Football Writers Barry Wilner in New York and Rob Maaddi in Philadelphia; Sports writer Josh Dubow in Alameda, Calif.; Legal affairs writer Maryclaire Dale in Philadelphia and Nell Redmond in Rock Hill. Less than five months into 2021, there have been six homicides and five of them were shooting deaths, according to Chavis, who said the Adams shootings are not included in that total because they took place outside the incorporated city limits of Rock Hill. Thursday 08 April 2021 22:32. . He said they went to Adams parents home, evacuated them and then tried to talk Adams out of the house. She said authorities repeatedly asked Adams to come out, and promised to get his disabled mother out safely, before Adams shot himself. Answers sought on guns, race, NFL following Phillip Adams shooting Check out these great suggestions. Dr. Robert Lesslie, 70, and his wife, Barbara Lesslie, 69, were pronounced dead at the scene in Rock Hill along with grandchildren Adah Lesslie, 9, and Noah Lesslie, 5, the York County coroner's office said. The wounded co-worker, Robert Shook had apparently called them about the shooting, prompting them to directly reach out to dispatch in York County. Rarely a starter, the gunman also was with New England, Seattle, Oakland and the New York Jets, finishing his career with the Atlanta Falcons in 2015. / CBS/AP. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? "The desire in them and their family was always to be a blessing. Updated: Mar 3, 2021 / 12:10 PM EST. Because somebody may not like somebody and say, You know what, I dont think you should own a gun. A gunman opened fire at a Rock . Phillip Adams, a former National Football League player, was named as the suspect. Adams father told a Charlotte television station that he blamed football for problems that may have led his son to commit Wednesdays violence. I cant put it all together and Im trying to, Hope said. SC mass shooting: 5 killed, NFL Phillip Adams kills himself - The State He was a good father.". What we know about the mass shooting in York County, South Carolina - CNN On April 7, 2021, six people, including two children, were shot and killed at a house in Rock Hill, South Carolina, United States. Myers faces charges of murder, possession of a weapon during a crime of violence and criminal conspiracy. The physician also penned a number of collections of what he termed inspiring true stories from his work. Deputies say this retelling of events was relayed to them by Shook as he lay injured outside. "I have come to understand that humility may be the greatest virtue. "In 2016, the NFL pledged $100 million in support for independent medical research and engineering advancements in neuroscience-related topics. A safety and special teams player from South Carolina State, he joined the 49ers in 2010 as a seventh-round draft pick. He was a good father," Casterline said. Tolson saidauthorities do not have any information that would suggest the weapons were obtained illegally. As far as I know it is, Tom Ayres, the organizations finance officer, told USA TODAY Sports. The losses we are suffering cannot be uttered at this time. Two weeks before the killings, Lauren Adams said, Phillip Adams indicated he had applied with the NFL for disability benefits. The NFL released a statement Wednesday in regard to the report: "We appreciate the work done by Dr. McKee and her colleagues for the value it adds in the ongoing quest for a better understanding of CTE. Updated on: April 8, 2021 / 7:00 PM ROCK HILL, S.C. New warrants released Friday reveal what York County deputies found as they investigated the deadly shooting in Rock Hill earlier in April . ", Joel and Steven Long, co-owners of GSM Services, said in a statement, "Our team at GSM Services is heart broken. . This March 12, 2009, file photo shows Dr. Robert Lesslie in Rock Hill, South Carolina. And I am convinced we need to take the time to say the things we deeply feel to the people we deeply care about.". ROCK HILL, S.C. Robert Shook, the sixth victim in the deadly shooting at the Rock Hill home of a prominent ER doctor, has died due to his injuries . Last December, Adam's family shared how hard it was to get the help they knew he needed. His voice grew louder as he stood behind the casket and continued the eulogy. "We did not hear any gunshots," Tolson said. 2021 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. We found that playing additional years of football was associated with a higher risk of an individual getting CTE, to the tune of every additional year of football, regardless of level of play, and regardless of position play, in that study, we found was associated with a 30% increased risk of CTE," said Daneshvar. Adams family said he was experiencing psychiatric distress they think was linked to head trauma resulting from football. After going through medical records from his football career, we do know that he was desperately seeking help from the NFL but was denied all claims due to his inability to remember things and to handle seemingly simple tasks such as traveling hours away to see doctors and going through extensive evaluations. One of two 9-1-1 dispatch calls released by the office indicate someone from Lewis' employer GSM Services in Gastonia, North Carolina placed the call. York County shootings: Sixth victim in mass shooting dies - CNN ROCK HILL, S.C. As the community of Rock Hill, South Carolina continues to reel from the tragic April 7 shooting that claimed six lives, we're taking a . He worked in emergency rooms for decades, including as medical director of the emergency department at Rock Hill General Hospital for almost 15 years, according to thebio. As CS Lewis has said, 'come further up, come further in. This is so unlike him. Rock Hill shooting: Robert Shook dies | wcnc.com According to the latest report published online, the four members of the Lesslie family were in a workout room when gunfire rang out from outside the surrounding woods. He said he continued to use guns when he joined the Army in 1974 and was part of an artillery unit during his four years of duty, spent primarily on border patrol in Germany. 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. Robert Chipley, the promoter of The Great American Rock Hill Gun Show, said he is not surprised the event will be held, even less than two months after a killing spree the sixth in America this year, as trackedby The Washington Post. The York County Sheriff's Department began a Thursday press conference with the calls, which were made around 4:44pm local time as gunman Philip Adams reportedly attacked Dr Robert Lesslie . He and Casterline both said the gunman had opened a shop selling smoothies and juice before COVID-19 hit and emphasized he didn't drink or do drugs. Rock Hill mass shooting. Tolson said evidence left at the scene of the shooting led them to the gunman. "We did recover evidence at the scene that linked Mr. Adams to that area definitively," Tolsonsaid at a news conference Thursday. I think he got upset about that and thats kind of where it started, with him kind of feeling like the whole world was against him.. Our hope is found in the promise of Jesus Christ," said the statement, which was read at the news conference by Tolson. April 9, 2021, 6:13 PM. He treated everyone with respect.". Kirk, a well-known Black pastor in Rock Hill, said he initially was asked to lead the prayer during a vigil for the victims, including Dr. Robert Lesslie, his wife and their two young grandchildren. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. Dr. Sabrina Gast, the York County coroner, said Adams' family told officials he had complained of excruciating pain, memory issues and difficulty sleeping late in life. The victims were identified as Dr. Robert Lesslie, 70; his wife, Barbara Lesslie, 69; their grandchildren, 9-year-old Adah Lesslie and 5-year-old Noah Lesslie; and James Lewis, 39, who was working at the home at the time he was shot, authorities said. The Lesslie family also established a little library and a food pantry outside of the church named after 9-year-old Adah and 5-year-old Noah. SC mass shooting: Phillip Adams' motive unknown in killing | Rock Hill "There is nothing about this right now that makes sense to any of us," the sheriff said. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. the VA, and all of the folks that have helped its and many other families to get these much-needed answers.". Warrants reveal new findings in Rock Hill shooting investigation | wcnc.com Casterline said he spoke regularly with the gunman's father, who left him a voicemail Wednesday morning. SUBSCRIBE:Apple Podcasts||Spotify||Stitcher||TuneIn||Google Podcasts. He said the process can require players to travel out of state to see doctors and the benefit rules change often. Massey had been shot multiple times in his upper body and was taken to the hospital where he died. ROCK HILL, S.C. (FOX 46 CHARLOTTE) . "We are working hard to provide some answers.". In the days after his death, it turned into a memorial with people leaving flowers and notes in honor of a doctor who was well known and well-loved. All structured data from the main, Property, Lexeme, and EntitySchema namespaces is available under the. Another employee,Robert Shook, was found injured. At least 51 involved domestic or juvenile victims. They just may need to say, You need to go talk to somebody, Wisher said. Updated April 16, 2021 4:55 PM. According to doctors, CTE has been found in professional athletes and symptoms include cognitive, behavioral and mood changes. DNA solves "decades-old mystery" after woman's remains found in 1995, Arkansas woman indicted for selling stolen body parts to Pennsylvania man. Read more:What we know about Phillip Adams, More:Doctor Robert Lesslie and family among those killed by Phillip Adams in South Carolina shooting: What we know, More:Ex-NFL player Phillip Adams' 'mental health degraded fast and terribly bad,' says sister. In the investigation of the Adams killings, authorities have not said how the guns were purchased and who owned them. The suspect, 32-year-old Phillip Adams, was found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound at a nearby home, the York County Sheriff's Office said. As an adult, Phillip Adams began collecting guns and using them, according to his father, who said he occasionally went to a shooting range with his son. A prominent local doctor, his wife and their two young grandchildren were among those killed Wednesday in a shooting at their home in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Two weapons were recovered: a 9mm handgun and a .45-caliber handgun. "In the coming days, our focus is on helping these families and our team members cope with this tragedy. Over the past two years, Adams behavior shifted dramatically, said his sister, LaurenAdams. Im not trying to sensationalize anything, but there are a lot of guys out there, he said. In a statement Friday afternoon, the company said they feeling "guarded" about Shook's fluctuating condition. By Stephanie Bunao. Call 911. The latest - in which 2 children were killed - in Rock . Its like a revival and we need to revive our city, said Nikita Jackson, a Rock Hill councilwoman whonoted the event was in the works before the Adamskillings. Mr Adams says he believes his son's football career may be at the root of whatever caused him to snap and carry out the shooting. Theyre not focused on assisting the players from start to finish.. [3][4] Five of the shooting victims died, while a sixth is hospitalized in critical condition[5] with serious gunshot wounds. "Through the decades, they made such an incredible impact on our area and the lives of countless people," Norman said in a statement. He just keeps saying, I've been shot, I've been shot. Sunday 11 April 2021 15:50. He was taken to a hospital where he is in critical condition. Adams killed himself with a self-inflicted gunshot wound after shooting to death six people April 7 less than a mile away from his house. "It's a progressive disease that worsens with age. On the same day Adams fatally shot his victims, the South Carolina House passed a measure that would allow handguns to be openly carried without a permit. "No parent should outlive their child.". Adams father, Alonzo, said guns are part of the familys culture. The losseswe are suffering cannot be uttered at this time. 6 dead, shot by former NFL player Phillip Adams, South Carolina Contact Indira Eskieva atieskieva@wcnc.comand follow her onFacebook,TwitterandInstagram. ROCK HILL, S.C. (AP) The man charged with killing someone in South Carolina this week had wounded the same victim in a shootout at a North Carolina mall earlier this year, investigators said. A man who had been working at the Lesslie home, James Lewis, 38, from Gaston, was found shot to death outside. April 11, 2021 at 10:27 a.m. EDT. He vacated an apartment there before he returned to his parents home in recent weeks, and detectives foundfirearms and a gun safe left behind at the residence, according to the search warrant. But Daneshvar says anyone who is repeatedly hit in the head is at risk of CTE, including boxers and victims of domestic violence. It would be impossible for the disability office, as it's structured now, to reach players who are in need of help rather than waiting for those players to ask for help, according to Scott. Among the victims were a 9-year-old girl and her 5-year-old brother, and Ramseur said she feared retaliation during the funeral in part because Adams is Black and all of the victims were white.