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| Police: Florida man kills daughter and 6 grandchildren, then takes own life | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| A Florida man shot and killed his grown daughter and six grandchildren Thursday. He called 911 and when police arrived, he shot himself, police said. | A Florida man shot and killed his grown daughter and six grandchildren Thursday. He called 911 and when police arrived, he shot himself, police said. |
| Don Charles Spirit, 51, of Bell, a small town southeast of Tallahassee, called 911 and told police he was considering harming himself and others, the Associated Press reported. A deputy arrived at the home Thursday afternoon and exchanged words with Spirit. Then Spirit committed suicide, Gilchrist County Sheriff Robert Schultz said in an evening news conference. | Don Charles Spirit, 51, of Bell, a small town southeast of Tallahassee, called 911 and told police he was considering harming himself and others, the Associated Press reported. A deputy arrived at the home Thursday afternoon and exchanged words with Spirit. Then Spirit committed suicide, Gilchrist County Sheriff Robert Schultz said in an evening news conference. |
| Schultz said police found seven other bodies “all over on the property.” | Schultz said police found seven other bodies “all over on the property.” |
| The children who were killed ranged in age from 3 months to 10 years, Schultz said, and some other people were left alive at the home. The victims were Sarah Lorraine Spirit, 28; Kaleb Kuhlmann, 11; Kylie Kuhlmann, 9; Johnathon Kuhlmann, 8; Destiny Stewart, 5; Brandon Stewart, 4; and Alanna Stewart, who was born in June, Schultz said late Thursday night. | The children who were killed ranged in age from 3 months to 10 years, Schultz said, and some other people were left alive at the home. The victims were Sarah Lorraine Spirit, 28; Kaleb Kuhlmann, 11; Kylie Kuhlmann, 9; Johnathon Kuhlmann, 8; Destiny Stewart, 5; Brandon Stewart, 4; and Alanna Stewart, who was born in June, Schultz said late Thursday night. |
| He would not say whether the woman was the mother of the children. | He would not say whether the woman was the mother of the children. |
| Schultz said Spirit had a criminal history, but did not elaborate. According to the Florida Department of Corrections, Spirit was released from prison in February 2006 for a gun charge related to an accidental shooting. | Schultz said Spirit had a criminal history, but did not elaborate. According to the Florida Department of Corrections, Spirit was released from prison in February 2006 for a gun charge related to an accidental shooting. |
| The Orlando Sentinel reported that Spirit shot and killed his 8-year-old son, Kyle, during a hunting accident near Kenansville, Fla., on Nov. 14, 2001. Officials had said that Spirit was pointing out some rust on the muzzle of a gun when it fired, shooting the boy in the head. He put the boy in the flatbed of his truck and drove to a nearby campsite to get help. | The Orlando Sentinel reported that Spirit shot and killed his 8-year-old son, Kyle, during a hunting accident near Kenansville, Fla., on Nov. 14, 2001. Officials had said that Spirit was pointing out some rust on the muzzle of a gun when it fired, shooting the boy in the head. He put the boy in the flatbed of his truck and drove to a nearby campsite to get help. |
| “It all happened so quickly,” Spirit told the Tampa Bay Times a few days after the incident. “It’s unbelievable.” | “It all happened so quickly,” Spirit told the Tampa Bay Times a few days after the incident. “It’s unbelievable.” |
| Before the trial, he said he was struggling with his son’s death. He said he had been taken to a mental-heath facility and put on medication. | Before the trial, he said he was struggling with his son’s death. He said he had been taken to a mental-heath facility and put on medication. |
| “The medication, I’ve tried it. It ain’t working,” Spirit told the Sentinel in an interview in 2003. “The one medicine I have is my family.” | “The medication, I’ve tried it. It ain’t working,” Spirit told the Sentinel in an interview in 2003. “The one medicine I have is my family.” |
| Spirit was charged with illegal possession of a firearm and pleaded guilty in exchange for a minimum sentence. In 1998, he was convicted of felony possession of marijuana, the Sentinel reported. It’s illegal for convicted felons to own guns in Florida. He was sentenced to three years in prison. | Spirit was charged with illegal possession of a firearm and pleaded guilty in exchange for a minimum sentence. In 1998, he was convicted of felony possession of marijuana, the Sentinel reported. It’s illegal for convicted felons to own guns in Florida. He was sentenced to three years in prison. |
| After he was released from prison in 2006, Spirit moved from Tampa to Bell, according to the Tampa Bay Times. | After he was released from prison in 2006, Spirit moved from Tampa to Bell, according to the Tampa Bay Times. |
| Court records show Spirit was charged with several misdemeanors and felonies over the past decade, the Miami Herald reported. In 2008, he spent almost four months in jail on a battery charge. In 2009, he was put on probation when a DUI charge was reduced to reckless driving. | Court records show Spirit was charged with several misdemeanors and felonies over the past decade, the Miami Herald reported. In 2008, he spent almost four months in jail on a battery charge. In 2009, he was put on probation when a DUI charge was reduced to reckless driving. |
| At Thursday’s news conference, Schultz did not give details on the weapon or possible motive in what police have called a murder-suicide. | At Thursday’s news conference, Schultz did not give details on the weapon or possible motive in what police have called a murder-suicide. |
| “There are certain things in life you can explain. And there are certain things you cannot explain,” Schultz told the Gainesville Sun. “This is something I cannot explain.” | “There are certain things in life you can explain. And there are certain things you cannot explain,” Schultz told the Gainesville Sun. “This is something I cannot explain.” |
| This story has been updated. | This story has been updated. |