Phillip Matthew Adams

Phillip M. Adams was born on July 20, 1988, in South Carolina. Raised in Rock Hill, he began playing football at the age of seven and later became a standout athlete at South Carolina State University. Adams graduated from McKinley Technical High School and went on to play in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons. Selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2010 NFL Draft, Adams played as a cornerback with six NFL teams: the 49ers, New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks, Oakland Raiders, New York Jets, and Atlanta Falcons.

Throughout his football career, Adams sustained multiple injuries, including a significant ankle injury early in his rookie season and at least two reported concussions while playing for the Raiders in 2012. Following his retirement in 2016, Adams returned to Rock Hill and moved in with his parents. Friends and neighbors described him as quiet and polite, though increasingly withdrawn in the years after leaving professional sports.

Adams' personal struggles deepened during this time. He had experienced financial difficulties after his smoothie shop failed during the COVID-19 pandemic and reportedly refused offers of assistance from former agents and colleagues. Though Adams did not have a known history of substance abuse, his family reported noticeable behavioral changes in the years prior to the shootings, including increasing isolation, paranoia, memory loss, and signs of mental decline. He owned multiple firearms and reportedly spent time writing cryptic notes and symbols in notebooks.

In his final years, Adams applied unsuccessfully for NFL disability assistance. Family members later stated he felt abandoned by the league and was battling unresolved trauma. Medical experts determined that Adams suffered from Stage II chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive brain disease caused by repeated head trauma. Following his death, researchers identified extensive damage in his frontal lobes, consistent with symptoms such as impulsive behavior, cognitive decline, and aggression.

On April 7, 2021, Phillip Adams carried out a mass shooting at the residence of his neighbors, the Lesslie family, in Rock Hill, South Carolina. At approximately 4:45 p.m., Adams arrived at the family's home on Marshall Road, armed with a .45 caliber and a 9mm handgun. Outside the home, two HVAC repairmen—James Lewis and Robert Shook—were working on the system. Adams first shot both men near their work vehicles before entering the home. Inside, he fatally shot Dr. Robert Lesslie, age 70; Barbara Lesslie, age 69; and their two grandchildren, Adah Lesslie, 9, and Noah Lesslie, 5.

One of the injured repairmen, Robert Shook, survived long enough to call 911, giving details to emergency dispatchers before losing consciousness. James Lewis died at the scene. Shook later succumbed to his injuries in hospital several days later, having sustained at least six gunshot wounds. A total of 36 casings and more than 20 bullets were recovered from the scene.

The shootings were witnessed by at least one neighbor who heard a series of gunshots and called authorities. Deputies quickly identified Adams as a suspect after discovering his dropped cell phone on the property. A manhunt was launched, involving drones and helicopters, which led authorities to his parents’ home nearby.

By 9:00 p.m., law enforcement had surrounded the residence, attempted negotiations using loudspeakers, and evacuated Adams' parents from the home. After failed communication, a robot was deployed to search the interior. At approximately 2:30 a.m. on April 8, officers found Adams dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A .45 caliber handgun was recovered at his side. It was later determined that Adams had shot himself shortly after retreating to the home.

The York County Sheriff’s Office officially confirmed Adams’ identity as the shooter during a press conference the next day. They stated that the investigation yielded no known motive, and Adams had no criminal record. He was not under the care of Dr. Robert Lesslie at the time of the shooting, though his father had reportedly been a patient many years earlier.

In the wake of the tragedy, national and local leaders issued statements of condolence. U.S. President Joe Biden cited the Rock Hill shooting during a televised address on gun violence. Memorial services were held for the victims, and over $400,000 was raised for the families of the HVAC technicians.

Following the incident, Phillip Adams’ brain was sent to the Boston University CTE Center for analysis. The medical team, led by Dr. Ann McKee, confirmed that Adams had severe Stage II CTE. Damage to his frontal lobes was described as unusually extensive and consistent with behavioral instability and impulsivity. McKee compared the damage to that found in other former athletes diagnosed posthumously, including former NFL player Aaron Hernandez. Adams' family later filed a wrongful death lawsuit against South Carolina State University and the NFL, claiming both institutions had failed in their duty to protect players from long-term neurological harm.