COLUMBIA, S.C. — Authorities are trying to figure out why former NFL player Phillip Adams shot and killed a prominent South Carolina doctor, his wife and two of his grandchildren and a repairman before taking his own life on Wednesday.
A source told the Associated Press that Adams had been treated by Dr. Robert Lesslie, and that his parents lived nearby in Rock Hill.
Even in their grief over Wednesday's killings of Robert Lesslie, his wife, two of their grandchildren and a repairman who was doing work at their home, the couple's family expressed forgiveness.
A second repairman who survived is in critical condition.
The longtime physician frequently wrote in his books and blog posts about the fragility of life and a deep-seated Christian faith that guided him personally and professionally.
In one post, he wrote: “Life is uncertain. Things happen. Lives are unexpectedly changed or ended. And it happens suddenly.”
CNN reports that Lesslie was the founder of Riverview Medical Center and had been practicing medicine in the area for 40 years. Those in the area say he was well-known and well-regarded in the community.
Adams was born in Rock Hill and played football at South Carolina State. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in 2010, and went on to play for the Patriots, Raiders, Seahawks, Jets and Falcons.
