Hilliard, Florida – A tragic and horrific domestic incident unfolded Thursday night when a 34-year-old man, Christopher Bobby Rowell, allegedly killed three women in a shooting spree at a home in Hilliard, Florida, before shooting himself.
In a chilling turn, a 5-year-old girl, the suspect’s relative, was able to escape and alert a neighbor, leading authorities to the scene.
The Gruesome Discovery
At around 8 p.m. on Thursday, the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office received a report about a possible shooting at a residence on West 12th Avenue. When deputies arrived, they found an open door and entered the house, where they immediately discovered a woman lying in a pool of blood in the living and dining room area.
Sheriff Bill Leeper said that as deputies continued to check the home, they found a man lying in a puddle of blood in the living room, next to an SKS-style assault rifle.
The man had a slight pulse, and authorities immediately airlifted him to a hospital in Jacksonville, but he was later declared clinically deceased, and his organs were to be harvested.
In addition to the man, deputies found two more women, both dead from gunshot wounds, in the bathroom and a bedroom. It is believed that Rowell shot each woman in different parts of the house before returning to the living room and shooting himself in the head.
The Brave Escape of the 5-Year-Old
Amidst the horror, the 5-year-old girl managed to escape and ran to a neighbor’s house, banging on the door. She told the neighbor that Rowell had killed the others inside the house and then called 911. The girl’s bravery and quick thinking undoubtedly saved her life and potentially others in the neighborhood.
According to the sheriff, the girl was in the back of the house when she heard a gunshot. She then saw one of the women on the floor and was placed in the bathroom by another woman, who was later shot as well, splattering blood on the girl.
The sheriff emphasized that the child was now safe and with other relatives, though the event left her traumatized. “If you look at a positive with something like this, this tragic, it’s that the child was not injured, thank God,” Sheriff Leeper said. “She was very strong and brave.”
Domestic Incident and Investigation
Sheriff Leeper suggested that the incident appeared to be domestic in nature, but refrained from further speculation. While no names of the victims were officially released, authorities confirmed that all the individuals were related, and the women were adults.
Rowell had reportedly been experiencing significant personal struggles leading up to the incident. Authorities noted the emotional impact on the community and stated that the tragic deaths were completely unnecessary.
Neighbor’s Shock and Aftermath
One neighbor, whose home was also struck by a bullet, recounted how she woke up to law enforcement searching her backyard and realized a bullet had hit her home. “It was crazy to think about,” the neighbor said. “You just don’t hear about this kind of stuff in Hilliard.”
Hilliard, located northeast of Jacksonville, is a small, rural town, and this type of violent crime is extremely rare in the community.
This family tragedy has left a community devastated. The actions of Christopher Bobby Rowell and the bravery of the young girl who escaped the violence underscore the emotional toll the incident has taken on everyone involved.
As the investigation continues, the sheriff’s office urges residents to seek help if they suspect domestic violence in their communities.
