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. 0:59. He said they went to his parents' home, evacuated them and then tried to talk the gunman out of the house. Rock Hill, the location of the shooting, pictured in 2018, https://www.heraldonline.com/news/local/crime/article250506054.html, https://apnews.com/article/phillip-adams-kills-5-then-himself-south-carolina-aaf71f2618f139ab3781592634c8e37c, https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?title=Q106421390&oldid=1699415425, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Eventually, they found him dead in a bedroom, Tolson said. McKee compared Adams' CTE pathology to that of former NFL player Aaron Hernandez, who was diagnosed with CTE after his death in 2017. Lesslie founded two urgent care centers and had traveled the country giving lectures to an emergency nurses group, his website said. Lewis leaves behind a daughter and two sons, according to a GoFundMe. The Associated Press contributed to this report. 0:00. Police say Adams shot and killed Robert Lesslie, 70, his wife Barbara Lesslie, 69, and two of their grandchildren, Adah, 9, and Noah, 5, as well as two HVAC workers, James Lewis, 38, and Robert Shook, 38 on April 7 in Rock Hill. Philip Adams: South Carolina community mourns family and worker - CNN Dr. Carlton Brown stood behind the casket. Adams' sister,Lauren Adams, told USA TODAY in an interview that her brother'sbehavior shifted abruptly a couple of years ago and he exhibited mental health issues. Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. At Thursdays news conference, Tolson played audio of two 911 calls, the first from an HVAC company that employed Lewis and Shook. This page was last edited on 8 August 2022, at 15:13. RELATED: Ex-NFL player who killed 6 in Rock Hill had 'severe' CTE, doctor says. He liked to laugh, he loved good jokes, he loved pranks, he loved to fish," Lewis said. As a rookie late in the 2010 season, the gunman suffered a severe ankle injury that required surgery that included several screws being inserted into the leg. At least 51 involved domestic or juvenile victims. As noted by the authors, there are still many unanswered questions relating to the cause, incidence and prevalence of long-term effects of head trauma such as CTE. "We did try to negotiate and get him out of the room that he was in.". Updated: 10:41 PM EST December 14, 2021 ROCK HILL, S.C . She said they repeatedly asked Adams to come outand promised to get his disabled mother out safely. Ex-NFL player who killed 6 in Rock Hill had 'severe' CTE, doctor says 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. Beth Langley, an organizer for the event, did not respond to a request for comment. Neighbors described the family as having a strong Christian background, and the First Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church inRock Hill confirmed the family attended services. Adams father, Alonzo, said guns are part of the familys culture. [6] Adams later killed himself before he could be arrested.[1][7]. "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.". 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. Adams often isolated himself, even as a player, his agent, Scott Casterline, told The Associated Press. Anyone was welcome to mourn and pay their respects. Dr. Robert Lesslie was a prominent doctor in Rock Hill. Even though we sang great Christian songs and we sang about Jesus, I still felt a very much divided community in that moment, Gray said. Contributing: Dustin Wyatt,The Spartanburg Herald-Journal;The Associated Press. Robert and Barbara Lesslie in a photo posted to Robert Lesslie's website. According to doctors, CTE has been found in professional athletes and symptoms include cognitive, behavioral and mood changes. The victims were Dr. Robert Lesslie, his wife, Barbara Lesslie, their two grandchildren -- Adah, 9, and Noah, 5 -- as well as James Lewis and Robert Shook. She said they have touched upon the sensitive nature of race relations in Rock Hill.". I think the football messed him up.. 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. Lewis shares his pain with the Lesslie and the Shook families. And I am convinced we need to take the time to say the things we deeply feel to the people we deeply care about.". Two weeks before the killings, Lauren Adams said, Phillip Adams indicated he had applied with the NFL for disability benefits. "We have contacted Boston University and they will be working with us to conduct a brain study to identify if Mr. Adams had CTE," the office said in a statement Friday evening, noting that routine forensic autopsies do not identify the disease. Policeworked Thursday to determine a motive but haven't been able to make sense of the violence, Tolson said. "He didn't talk much and he didn't bother nobody.". I loved him. Wake Forest School of Medicine studying concussions in young athletes, Former college classmate remembers Rock Hill shooting victims, 'A shining light to so many' | Prayer vigil held for Rock Hill shooting victims, Lesslie family honors late son's birthday with heartwarming gestures. Gray said the Adams shootings and two others in Rock Hill this year clearly were incidents where individuals should have been red-flagged and were dealing with mental illness.. McKee said researchers are closer than ever to find a way to detect CTE in the living but there is still more to be done. He spent many years working in emergency rooms in the Charlotte area, according to his website biography. Please call 911the man told a 911 operator. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. mass-shooting in Rock Hill, South Carolina. 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. This is something I cant grasp yet. 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. The suspected gunman . Indeed, more than two weeks since the shootings, questions that have been asked over and over around the country are lingeringin Rock Hill. Updated on: April 8, 2021 / 7:00 PM The incident was the latest mass shooting to rock the nation in recent weeks, including 10people slain in Boulder, Colorado,eight in the Atlanta area and four in Orange, California. Rock Hill shooting: Robert Shook dies | wcnc.com Adams father told a Charlotte television station he blamed football for his sons problems, which might have led him to commit Wednesdays violence. Will the killings test the character of Rock Hill? Following the shootings, Gast obtained special permission to have Phillips' brain tissue sent in for CTE tests. a former NFL player accused of killing six people in a mass shooting in Rock Hill before taking his own life in early April, . Our hope is found in the promise of Jesus Christ," said the statement, which was read at the news conference by Tolson. NFL Draft Hub: Latest NFL Draft mock drafts, news, live picks, grades and analysis. Answers sought on guns, race, NFL following Phillip Adams shooting Example video title will go here for this video. The gunman often isolated himself, even as a player, his agent, Scott Casterline, told the AP. Scott said he doesn't know if Adams ever applied for benefits but thinks Adams soughtline-of-duty benefits, awarded for orthopedic issues and worth about $54,000 a year. The victims were identified as: Dr. Robert Lesslie, 70; his wife, Barbara Lesslie, 69; and their grandchildrenAdah Lesslie, 9, and Noah Lesslie, 5. 6 dead, shot by former NFL player Phillip Adams, South Carolina Marshals, Homeland Security and the Kansas State Police. 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. SC mass shooting: 5 killed, NFL Phillip Adams kills himself | Rock Hill "Through the decades, they made such an incredible impact on our area and the lives of countless people," Norman said in a statement. York County shootings: Sixth victim in mass shooting dies - CNN Updated December 14, 2021 10:56 AM. Tolson said Lesslie was a model citizen in the community, someone everyone knew. RELATED: Deputies provide timeline of events for Rock Hill shooting. The physician also penned a number of collections of what he termed inspiring true stories from his work. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. James Lewis, a single father of three kids in Gastonia, was one of the five people killed in a mass shooting at a Rock Hill home Wednesday evening, his family confirms. FROM APRIL 2021: Rock Hill community honors those killed in mass shooting Thomas Lewis, who is the father of James Lewis, said time doesn't heal all wounds, but he's learning to live with the loss. I can't fathom it. Im not going to get into all that (symptoms). The sheriff said authorities don't have any indication the weapons were obtained illegally. "In the coming days, our focus is on helping these families and our team members cope with this tragedy. 4:52 p.m.: YCSO units arrive on the scene at the Lesslie family's property. 2021, 10:55 AM. "I saw one person laying on the ground.". She said they spent hours negotiating with the gunman, using a loudspeaker and sending in a robot to scan the house. James Lewis, 38, was found dead outside. This is in addition to the $100 million that the NFL and its partners are already spending on medical and neuroscience research. The direction in Rock Hill and nationally remains unclear. She said authorities repeatedly asked Adams to come out, and promised to get his disabled mother out safely, before Adams shot himself. On April 7, 2021, six people, including two children, were shot at a house in Rock Hill, South Carolina, United States. Editor's note: The above section on additional details came during the April 16 update. She said authorities spent hours negotiating with Adams, using a loudspeaker and sending in a robot to scan the house. Ill free fine when the truth comes out.". 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. This spring, Le Creuset has introduced an exciting new shade thats already selling fast: shallot, a soft lavender with pink and slight gray undertones. We will continue to advocate for any research that can prevent any other families from having to endure this type of tragedy We want people to understand that this could happen to anyone. Two weapons were recovered: a 9mm handgun and a .45-caliber handgun. 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. She said Adams had a severe case of it. Barbara and Robert Lesslie sang in the choir. ", RELATED: Deputies provide timeline of events for Rock Hill shooting. Sunday 11 April 2021 15:50. A man who had been working at the home, James Lewis, 38, from Gaston, was found shot to death outside. Former Cowboys cornerback Kevin Smith, who trained the gunman leading up to the 2010 draft and after he entered the league, said he was a hard worker. Five people are dead, including a doctor and two of his grandchildren, following a shooting at a home in Rock Hill, South Carolina, on Wednesday afternoon, according to the York County Sheriff's Office. What happens next for in acommunity that has struggled with race relations? Tolson said a .45-caliber and a 9 mm weapon were used in Wednesday's shooting. Robert Shook, 38, died Saturday from injuries sustained during the shooting, the York County Coroner said. Massey had been shot multiple times in his upper body and was taken to the hospital where he died. They say the truth will set you free. But before the event, Kirk said, a representative for the Lesslie family told him he no longer would be needed at the event. We are pleased to have a better understanding of the mental turmoil that Phillip was dealing with during the last moments of his life.
2021 rock hill shooting