At least five people are now dead, including two children, after a shooting within a house in South Carolina on Wednesday evening, according to police.
A sixth man was hospitalized with”severe gunshot wounds,” York County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Trent Faris stated. The defendant believed to cause the shooting Rock Hill, about 25 miles south of Charlotte, North Carolina, was apprehended, police said.
“We’ve IDed the individual we believe is in charge of the shooting Marshall Rd.. We found him at a nearby property. There’s not any active danger to this community,” that the York County Sheriff’s Office tweeted. “Detectives are still in the field following a search warrant & exploring this tragic occasion.”
The victims were identified as Dr. Robert Lesslie, 70; his wife, Barbara Lesslie, 69; both grandchildren, along with James Lewis, 39, who had been working in the house when he had been struck by gunfire, the sheriff’s office stated.
Faris known as Dr. Lesslie”a staple” at Rock Hill for several years.
“I have lived in Rock Hill my whole lifetime and Dr. Lesslie was my physician growing up,” Faris said. “Dr. Lesslie was among the people that everyone understands.
Deputies were called to a house around 4:45 p.m., after a report of a fire between numerous people. Faris said he had been”shocked that this kind of incident” happened in Rock Hill.
“It does not happen here. It is one of these odd things that many of people will have difficulty understanding and we simply hope that everyone knows that we are going to do what we can to attempt to determine why this occurred here,” Faris said.
An hours-long manhunt ensued after the shooting. Throughout the hunt, the sheriff’s office described the defendant as”possibly armed & dangerous.”
It was uncertain once the defendant was discovered. Faris declined to name the defendant or provide details concerning the defendant’s condition.
“We expect to share more info regarding this tragic event when you can,” the sheriff’s office wrote. “Thanks for the patience”