Sole survivor in deadly York County shooting called for help after being shot multiple times, family says
YORK COUNTY, S.C. (WBTV) - A sixth person injured in a shooting that killed five others in York County Wednesday remains hospitalized in critical condition. Robert Shook was the only one to survive the shooting.
Shook, of Cherryville, was shot multiple times while working at a home on Marshall Road just before 5 p.m. His work partner, 38-year-old James Lewis, was killed in the shooting, officials say.
Dr. Robert Lesslie, 70, his wife, 69-year-old Barbara Lesslie, and their two grandchildren, 9-year-old Adah Lesslie and 5-year-old Noah Lesslie, were also killed in the shooting, according to deputies.
Shook’s family says he was able to call for help. He has since been in multiple surgeries.
His family reports he’s out of surgery and stable, but isn’t out of the woods quite yet.
“[It’s] Still touch and go. But we have more hope,” the family said. “Please have prayers continue. They’re working.”
The gunman in the shooting was a former NFL pro Phillip Adams, the Associated Press reports. Adams killed himself early Thursday, according to a source who was briefed on the investigation.
Shook is a husband and a father to three children, ages 7, 13 and 18. He was taken to the hospital after the shooting with serious injuries before going into surgery. He is fighting for his life, according to family.
“We need prayers. If you’re not a praying person, drop to your knees and just pray, just pray for Robert. Scream it out. That he pulls through,” said Shook’s cousin, Heather Thompson.
“He is a hard-working man who put himself through school to become a certified heating and air service worker, to provide for his family,” Thompson said. “He is just a wonderful, wonderful man.”
Before becoming unresponsive, Shook was able to call his boss at GSM Services. We’re told he called his boss so the boss could give the right address to 911.
On Thursday, the York County Sheriff’s Office released the 911 call made from the manager at GSM Services to 911.
“One just called me. He can’t talk. He’s screaming ‘I’ve been shot, I’ve been shot.’ And I ask him where the other one is, he said he’s laying there and he’s unresponsive and he was shot also,” the 911 caller said.
The family said Shook’s been in and out of surgery for the last 24 hours. Doctors are trying to stop the extensive bleeding after he was shot in several arteries.
“He’s a fighter. He is definitely a fighter. He is fighting for his family that needs him,” she said.
Lewis and Shook worked together at GSM Services in Gastonia.
GSM released the following statement Thursday:
“As you can imagine, our team at GSM Services is heart broken from the events that transpired yesterday evening in York, SC. Both men involved in this incident are long-standing, beloved members of our family at GSM. These men embody the values we strive to achieve at GSM and are family focused, up-beat, and wonderful team members who cared about all the people they encountered. In the coming days, our focus is on helping these families and our team members cope with this tragedy. We wish to thank the law enforcement and emergency management personnel who have been so helpful with their communication, empathy, and professionalism as we dealt with this yesterday and overnight. We also want to thank our community for all the support for our team and these families. Our community has helped us build this company through all of our good times and we are blessed knowing this support continues during bad times. Please continue to keep our families in your thoughts and prayers in the coming days.”
GSM stopped all service calls Thursday.
Copyright 2021 WBTV. All rights reserved.
