The horrific mass shooting incident took place yesterday near Bell, a town of about 500, located roughly 48 kms west of Gainesville when a man killed his daughter and her six children, aged 3 months to 10 years, before killing himself, Gilchrist County deputies said.
The shooter, identified as 51-year-old Don Spirit, contacted emergency services '911' at about 4 pm, officials said adding that the first deputy to arrive at the home on NW 30th and NW 39th streets made contact with Spirit before he committed suicide.
"They had been called to the residence before for a "wide range of issues," deputies said at a news conference on yesterday evening.
Identities of the victims have not been released yet, nor the motive behind the shooting.
"We are asking for prayers for this community and the families involved. We ask for patience from the media and public as we work through this investigation," the Gilchrist County Sheriff's Office said in a statement on its Facebook page.
You’ve hit your limit of 5 free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Access to Exclusive Premium Stories Online
Over 30 behind the paywall stories daily, handpicked by our editors for subscribers


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app