A grandfather named Don Spirit massacred his family in a small rural town in Florida before turning the gun on himself.

Police arrived to discover the bodies of the man's daughter and his six grandchildren strewn in different parts of the property.

Spirit, 51, shot his entire family before shooting himself in the small town of Bell, some thirty miles outside of Gainesville, reported to NBC News. According to Gilchrist County Sheriff Robert Schultz police discovered the seven victims "all over the property," including a 10-month old baby.

A convicted felon, Spirit had been prohibited by law from possessing a weapon but that did not stop him. He already had a long criminal history, which culminated in the killing of his family and his suicide.

The victims have been identified as Sarah Lorraine Spirit, 28, and her daughters Alanna Stewart, 2 and a half months, Brandon Stewart, 4, Destiny Stewart, 5, and Kylie Kuhlmann, 9, and sons Johnathon Kuhlmann, 8, and Kaleb Kuhlmann, 11.

The Orlando Sentinel reports Spirit called the police at around 4 p.m. and they arrived soon after; however, as soon as they made contact with the man, he committed suicide.

Spirit's criminal history dates back to before 2001, but on that year he was sent to prison after accidentally shooting his 8-year-old son Kyle while cleaning a weapon during a hunting trip. Because of a previous drug conviction, he was not allowed to have a weapon.

However, Spirit this time purposefully shot his family. Police are currently trying to ascertain his motive. In an interview with the Orlando Sentinel in 2003, he said, "The only medicine I need is my family," as he struggled over his son's death.

The small rural community awoke to the tragic news and the local school system has made available 30 additional grief counselors and resource officers, according to the Miami Herald.

The children attended Bell Elementary School and were described as "happy-go-lucky students." School officials and teachers had not witnessed any evidence of abuse or trouble at home, said Gilchrist County schools Superintendent Robert Rankin, and was shocked at the news.