ROCK HILL, S.C. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Police in York County, South Carolina have confirmed that Phillip Adams, a former NFL defensive back, is the prime suspect in a shooting that killed five people including a prominent emergency room doctor yesterday.
Police said Adams broke into the home of Dr. Robert Lessie and opened fire, killing Lessie, his wife Barbara, and their two young grandchildren Adah and Noah, aged 9 and 5. They say Adams also shot two maintenance men at the house, killing one, and putting the other in the hospital in "very critical" condition.
Adams played 6 games for the Patriots in 2011 before being cut in November of that year. He went on to play for the Seattle Seahawks, Oakland Raiders and the New York Jets before ending his career with the Atlanta Falcons in 2015.
York County Sheriff Kevin Tolson said in a press briefing that Adams lived about a quarter of a mile down the road. Police served a warrant at Adams' house, where they had to evacuate Adams' parents before eventually finding Adams dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
The guns used in the attack were a .45 millimeter and 9 millimeter handgun, the Sheriff said.
Police couldn't confirm if Adams was a patient of Lessie, and Tolson said he had "no indication" that the guns used in the attack were bought illegally.
Listen to WBZ NewsRadio live for the latest:
Follow WBZ NewsRadio:Facebook|Twitter|Instagram|iHeartmedia App
(Photo: Getty Images)