On Thursday afternoon, Don Spirit shot and killed his adult daughter and six grandchildren in his Bell, Fla. home before turning the gun on himself.
Spirit, 51, previously served three years in prison after killing his son in a hunting accident in 2003. According to the Orlando Sentinel, Spirit was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and plead not guilty in order to receive a reduced sentence, and he was released in 2006.
In addition to his incarceration in 2003, Spirit had several other run-ins with the law, and the Gilchrist County Sheriff’s office had responded to 911 calls from Spirit’s home on “numerous” occasions.
However, when they responded to a 4 pm call on September 18, officers could not have prepared for what lay in wait. Spirit committed suicide directly upon the officers’ arrival, reports CNN’s Steve Almasy.
After officials entered Spirit’s home, they discovered the body of a 28-year old woman, whom Sheriff Rob Schultz identified as Spirit’s daughter, Sarah. Authorities also found the bodies of Sarah’s six children, ages ranging from 3 months to 11 years, scattered throughout the house.
When addressing the press, Sheriff Schultz did not divulge what type of firearm had been used but instead addressed the impact the murder-suicide would have on the community: “We’re all family here,” and the violent nature of the crime will surely tear through the community of 17,000.