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Diabierna 9 aPriL 2021

AP source: NFL player Phillip Adams killed 5, then himself

(AP) — The gunman who doctor in Rock Hill, board-
killed five people includ- certified in both emergency
ing a prominent doctor in medicine and occupational
South Carolina was for- medicine and serving as
mer NFL player Phillip emergency department med-
Adams, who killed himself ical director for nearly 15
early Thursday, accord- years at Rock Hill General
ing to a person who was Hospital, according to his
briefed on the investiga- website.
tion. He founded two urgent care
centers in the area and wrote
This person, who spoke on a weekly medical column for
condition of anonymity be- The Charlotte Observer. He
cause he wasn’t authorized also wrote a book, “Angels
to speak publicly, said Adams’ in the ER,” collecting what
parents live near the doctor’s he termed “inspiring true
home in Rock Hill, and that stories” from his time in the
he had been treated by the emergency department.
doctor. He said Adams killed “I know without a doubt that
himself after midnight with a life is fragile,” Lesslie wrote,
.45-caliber weapon. according to an excerpt. “I
The York County Sheriff’s have come to understand that
Office said they had searched humility may be the greatest
for hours before finding the virtue. And I am convinced
suspect in a nearby home. we need to take the time to
Dr. Robert Lesslie, 70, and blamed football for problems pull into the Adams’ drive- planned news conference. say the things we deeply feel
his wife, Barbara Lesslie, 69, that may have led his son to way. She said law enforce- “We have found the person to the people we deeply care
were pronounced dead at commit Wednesday’s vio- ment quickly surrounded the we believe is responsible and about.”
the scene along with grand- lence. house and then spent hours we are with him at this time Faris said Lesslie was very
children Adah Lesslie, 9, and “I can say he’s a good kid, he negotiating with Adams, us- and that’s all I can say about well known in the Rock Hill
Noah Lesslie, 5, the York was a good kid, and I think ing a loudspeaker and send- the suspect,” Faris said, add- community.
County coroner’s office said. the football messed him up,” ing in a robot to scan the ing that they had no reason “Dr. Lesslie was my doc-
A man who had been work- Alonzo Adams told WCNC- house. She said authorities to believe anyone else was in- tor growing up,” Faris said.
ing at the home, James Lewis, TV. “He didn’t talk much and repeatedly asked Adams to volved. “We are currently at “Dr. Lesslie has been one of
38, from Gaston, was found he didn’t bother nobody.” come out, and promised to his house and we are serving those people that everybody
shot to death outside, and a Faris said early Thursday that get his disabled mother out a search warrant.” knows. He started Riverview
sixth person was hospital- deputies were called around safely, before Adams shot Later Thursday, a few sher- Medical Center in Rock Hill
ized with “serious gunshot 4:45 p.m. Wednesday to the himself. iff’s deputies were posted and it’s been a staple in Rock
wounds,” York County Sher- Lesslies’ home, and evacu- “This is something I can’t near the Lesslie home, which Hill for years.”
iff’s Office’s spokesperson ated the neighbors as they grasp yet. I can’t put it all to- is far beyond an arched stone A biography page said he and
Trent Faris said. spent hours searching for a gether and I’m trying to, and gate, up a long paved drive- his wife raised four children,
Adams, 33, played in 78 NFL suspect with police dogs be- I witnessed it,” Hope said. “I way and not visible from and that Lesslie received his
games over five seasons for fore finding him in a nearby feel bad for him because if it the road. The Adams home, degree at the Medical Uni-
six teams. A safety and spe- home. was mental or something go- roughly a mile down the versity of South Carolina.
cial teams player from South Allison Hope, who lives ing on in his life or whatever, road, is a modest, one-story Rock Hill is a city in north-
Carolina State, he joined the across the road, said police you know, he needed help, brick house with several cars ernmost South Carolina
49ers in 2010 as a seventh- allowed her to return home and that’s the sad part.” in the driveway. about 25 miles (40 kilome-
round draft pick. around 9 p.m. Wednesday, Faris provided few details Lesslie had worked for de- ters) southwest of Charlotte,
Rarely a starter, Adams also just before she saw a vehicle early Thursday ahead of a cades as an emergency room North Carolina.
was with New England, Se-
attle, Oakland and the New
York Jets, finishing his career
with the Atlanta Falcons in
2015.
As a rookie late in the 2010
season, Adams suffered a
severe ankle injury that re-
quired surgery that included
several screws being inserted
into the leg. He never played
for the 49ers again, get-
ting released just before the
2011 season began and sign-
ing with New England. He
moved next to the Raiders,
where he had 2 concussions
in a 3-game period in 2012.
Whether Adams suffered
long-lasting injuries from
his concussions as a player
wasn’t immediately clear.
Adams 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.
Adams’ father told a Char-
lotte television station that he