A 5-year-old girl covered in blood managed to flee a Florida home after a man allegedly shot and killed three women before turning the gun on himself, according to authorities.
The horrifying incident took place Thursday night, July 24, in Hilliard, a small town in Nassau County, Fla., around 8 p.m. local time. Sheriff Bill Leeper confirmed during a press conference that deputies responded to a call about a possible shooting at a residence on West 12th Avenue.
“This was a heartbreaking and completely unnecessary tragedy,” Leeper told reporters.
When deputies arrived at the home, they received no response from inside and decided to enter through an unlocked front door. Inside, they found a woman lying in a pool of blood between the living and dining rooms. A man was found nearby with an assault-style rifle next to him. Two more women were discovered deceased — one in the bathroom and another in a nearby bedroom.
The gunman, identified as 34-year-old Christopher Bobby Rowell, was found with a faint pulse and transported to a hospital, but was later declared clinically dead. The rifle beside him was identified as a 7.62 caliber SKS-style assault weapon.
The victims have been identified as 32-year-old Marissa Leara Rowell, 71-year-old Sandra Gayle Fogarty, and 33-year-old Alisha Lael Fogarty.
According to Sheriff Leeper, investigators believe Rowell first shot the woman in the living room, then moved to the bathroom and bedroom, shooting the other two victims before turning the gun on himself.
In the midst of the chaos, a 5-year-old girl inside the home miraculously survived. A neighbor later reported that the child had run across the street, banging on their door and telling them that people had been killed inside. The neighbor immediately called 911.
Leeper said the little girl told deputies she was in the back of the house when she heard gunfire. As she walked down the hallway, she saw a woman lying on the floor. Another woman then grabbed her and pulled her into the bathroom — where that woman was ultimately shot and killed in front of her.
“The child got blood splatter on her,” the sheriff confirmed, calling the girl “very brave” and “strong.” He added that she was in shock but is now safe and staying with relatives.
“All of the victims were related,” Leeper said, though he declined to elaborate on the exact relationships at this time, citing the ongoing investigation. “This appears to be some type of domestic incident.”
Visibly emotional, Leeper told reporters in a later briefing, “As a grandfather of two young children, my heart aches for this little girl. The kind of violence that unfolded in front of her is simply unimaginable. I want to thank our deputies and investigators who responded quickly and ensured she was safe.”
Authorities continue to investigate the motive behind the shootings.
