Florida grandfather’s murder-suicide leaves 8 dead, including 6 kids

A Florida grandfather killed his daughter and six grandchildren before turning the gun on himself, the Gilchrist County sheriff said Thursday evening.

The dead children — two boys and four girls — ranged in age from 3 months to 11 years, Sheriff Robert Schultz told reporters.

He identified the shooter as Don Spirit, 51, who called 911 about 4 p.m. and “made reference to harming people and himself.”

The first officer to arrive at the residence in Bell, near Gainesville, “made contact” with Spirit, who shot himself soon after, the sheriff said. All the victims appeared to have gunshot wounds.

“We are asking for prayers for this community,” he said. “We have eight victims. There are six children.”

Local schools planned to counsel the classmates of the dead on Friday, he said.

Later, at a second news conference, Schultz released the victims’ names. They were, according to the Associated Press: 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 he had never handled such a devastating case, adding: “We’re a small community. We’re all family here.”

Deputies had been called to the residence “numerous times,” Schultz said, refusing to elaborate. He said Spirit had a criminal history.

The Orlando Sentinel reported that Spirit had shot his 8-year-old son to death in a 2001 hunting accident. He had an earlier felony conviction for marijuana possession, and pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced in 2003 to three years in prison and released in 2006, according to the Florida Department of Corrections.

Bell, a town of about 350, is about 40 miles west of Gainesville.

ryan.parker@latimes.com

connie.stewart@latimes.com

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