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Published On: Fri, Sep 19th, 2014

Don Spirit murders daughter, 6 grandkids and self in grisly Florida murder suicide

A Florida man shot and killed his daughter and six grandchildren Thursday afternoon in north Florida in what authorities have labelled a murder-suicide.

Don Spirit, 51, has been identified by Gilchrist County Sheriff Robert Schultz as the shooter. The sheriff told reporters the children ranged in age from 3 months to 10 years. He immediately didn’t name the daughter or the grandchildren because not every relative had been notified of their deaths, but they have now been identified:

Sarah SpiritSarah Lorraine Spirit, 28, and her daughters Alanna Stewart, 2½ months, Brandon Stewart, 4, Destiny Stewart, 5, and Kylie Kuhlmann, 9, and sons Johnathon Kuhlmann, 8, and Kaleb Kuhlmann, 11. “This is something you can’t explain,” Schultz said at a press conference. “I will continue to ask everybody to pray for the families.”

Authorities found the seven victims “all over on the property” after responding to Spirit’s 911 call around 4 p.m. Thursday. He killed himself when the deputy arrived to the scene.

Spirit already had a lengthy criminal record stretching back 22 years, according to Florida corrections records. Deputies noted that they have responded to calls from the home, owned by Spirit: officers have “been out to that residence on numerous law enforcement occasions” with Schultz adding that the shooter had a long criminal history.

Reports from 2003 show that one charge, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, came after he pleaded guilty to accidentally shooting and killing his 8-year-old son while they were out hunting.

He was sentenced to three years in prison. Spirit was also convicted of depriving a child of food and shelter, battery, and possession of drug paraphernalia between 1992 and 1995.

The sheriff wouldn’t disclose what kind of firearm was used.

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- Writer and Co-Founder of The Global Dispatch, Brandon has been covering news, offering commentary for years, beginning professionally in 2003 on Crazed Fanboy before expanding into other blogs and sites. Appearing on several radio shows, Brandon has hosted Dispatch Radio, written his first novel (The Rise of the Templar) and completed the three years Global University program in Ministerial Studies to be a pastor. To Contact Brandon email [email protected] ATTN: BRANDON

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