Man kills six grandchildren and daughter in murder-suicide

A grandfather shot dead his six grandchildren and his daughter then turned the gun on himself in a horrific mass shooting.

Don Spirit, 51, called emergency services and revealed he was considering doing harm to himself and others, according to USA Today.

When police in Florida arrived at his home at about 4 pm yesterday they found his six grandchildren dead as well as his daughter Sarah.

Spirit, who had a criminal record, then killed himself while police were at the scene near Bell, a small town in the north of Florida.

According to the Orlando Sentinel, Spirit accidentally shot dead his eight-year-old son Kyle in a hunting accident in 2001.

He pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and was sentenced to three years in prison.