Phillip Adams, a former NFL player, was found guilty of the murder of five people and committed suicide, according to investigations
The man who shot dead five people, including a prominent doctor, in South Carolina was identified as a former NFL player Phillip Adams, Who committed suicide Thursday morning, said a source aware of the investigation.
The source, who spoke on condition of preserving anonymity because she was not allowed to testify publicly, said Adams’ parents live near the doctor’s home in Rock Hill and that he had been treated by the doctor. The person said Phillips committed suicide after midnight with a .45 caliber pistol.
Police said officers searched for hours before finding the suspect in a neighboring house.
Adams, 33, played for several teams in the NFL, including the San Francisco 49ers and the Atlanta Falcons after shining at South Carolina State University. He suffered multiple injuries in his career, including concussions and an ankle fracture.
Rarely practicing as a starter, Adams also played for New England, Seattle, Oakland and the New York Jets, culminating his career with the Falcons in 2015.
As a rookie at the end of the 2010 season, Adams suffered a serious ankle injury that required surgery in which several screws were inserted into his leg. He did not play again with the 49ers, being sacked prior to the 2011 season and signed with New England. It wasn’t until 2013, with the Raiders, that he was able to stay on a payroll for the entire season.
The coroner said Dr. Robert Lesslie, 70, and his wife Barbara Lesslie, 69, were pronounced dead at the scene, along with his grandchildren Adah Lesslie, 9, and Noah Lesslie, 5. .
A man who had been working at the house, James Lewis, 38, was found dead outside, and a sixth person was hospitalized with gunshot wounds, police spokesman Trent Faris said.
Faris said officers went to the Leslie residence in the Rock Hill area on Wednesday around 4:45 p.m.
Rock Hill is a town in the far north of South Carolina, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) southwest of Charlotte, North Carolina.