| 2021 Rock Hill shooting | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Rock Hill, the location of the shooting, pictured in 2018 | |
| Location | Rock Hill, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Date | April 7, 2021 4:45 p.m. EDT (20:45 UTC) |
Attack type | Mass shooting, murder–suicide |
| Weapon | .45-caliber Tommy gun[1] 9 mm H&K MP5 style gun[2][3] |
| Deaths | 7 (including the perpetrator who committed suicide) |
| Injured | 0 |
| Perpetrator | Phillip Adams |
On April 7, 2021, six people were shot and killed at a house in Rock Hill, South Carolina by Phillip Adams, a former reserve cornerback in the National Football League. Adams, who lived in Rock Hill, killed four of his neighbors (a couple and their two grandchildren in the Lesslie family) at their home, as well as two repairmen who were working on the house's HVAC unit. After leaving the scene, he went to his parents' house, where he was found by police. The police tried to negotiate with him, but he fatally shot himself, and was found dead the next day.
Adams' motive was never discovered. However, in his autopsy, he was diagnosed to have had a Stage II case of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a brain disease which he likely received from damage to his frontal lobes while playing football. This included two concussions he received while playing for the Oakland Raiders in 2012. CTE is caused by repeated injuries to the head. It can lead to cognitive decline, and, when the frontal lobes are damaged, impulsive and violent behavior.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
apwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Liu, Michelle; Kinnard, Meg (April 8, 2021). "Former 49ers player Phillip Adams kills 5, then himself, sheriff says". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
- ^ Dys, Andrew (April 24, 2021). "Phillip Adams dropped his phone outside SC home after killing 6, search warrant shows". Rock Hill Herald. Retrieved July 9, 2024.