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BELL, Fla. — 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.

Don Spirit mugshot from 2001 (Florida Dept. of Corrections)
Don Spirit mugshot from 2001 (Florida Dept. of Corrections)

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 11 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.