The family of Phillip Adams, the ex-NFL player who killed a prominent York County doctor and five others before shooting himself, is suing South Carolina State University, his alma mater.
Adams played college ball at SC State from 2006 to 2009 before turning pro. The lawsuit claims the univeristy failed to treat Adams' head injuries or inform him of the long-term health consquencies.
In 2021 he showed up at the Rock Hill home of Doctor Robert Leslie, who lived in the same subdivision as his parents where he was staying. Adams shot the doctor, his wife, their two grandchildren and a contractor who was outside working on an air conditioner, he then returned to his room and committed suicide with the same gun.
The autopsy showed he had suffered from stage two chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the disease often diagnosed in football players who have suffered repeated blows to the head. Research has linked CTE to personality changes, including aggressive behavior and suicide.