(CNN) — A Florida man shot and killed his daughter and six grandchildren Thursday afternoon in the small north-central Florida town of Bell in what authorities called a murder-suicide.
Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Robert Schultz identified the shooter as Don Spirit, 51.
The sheriff told reporters the children ranged in age from 3 months to 10 years. He didn’t name the daughter or the grandchildren because not every relative had been notified of their deaths.
Schultz said Spirit, who called 911 around 4 p.m., killed himself after a deputy arrived on the scene.
Deputies had previously responded to calls from the home, owned by Spirit, on “numerous” occasions, officials said. Spirit had a criminal history, Schultz said.
The sheriff wouldn’t disclose what kind of firearm was used.
Bell is about 30 miles west of Gainesville.
