Elevate your local knowledge
Sign up for the iNFOnews newsletter today!
Florida sheriff: Grandfather shoots, kills 6 grandchildren, his daughter and himself
Original Publication Date: September 18, 2014 11:38AM
Publication Updated: January 8, 2025 10:05PM
BELL, Fla. – A man killed six of his grandchildren, his adult daughter and himself in a shooting at a home in a small town in North Florida Thursday, a sheriff said.
Gilchrist County Sheriff Robert Schultz at a news conference identified the man as 51-year-old Don Spirit. He said the children ranged in age from 3 months to 10 years old. He would not say if woman killed was the mother of the children.
Schultz said a deputy who arrived on a report of a shooting Thursday made contact with Spirit who later committed suicide.
He said Spirit was the only suspect and that some people were left alive at the home.
He would not identify those killed.
A photo on the Gainesville Sun’s website shows several police vehicles on a rural road. A sheriff’s deputy was keeping people away behind police tape.
Bell is a town of just 350 people about 30 miles west of Gainesville.
News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Join the Conversation!
Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?
You must be logged in to post a comment.
