Ex-NFL player who shot and killed 6 people in South Carolina had 'severe' brain damage from CTE, researcher says

• Former NFL player Phillip Adams shot and killed six people before taking his own life in April.
• An autopsy revealed that Adams suffered from stage-II chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

Former NFL player Phillip Adams, who shot and killed 6 people before taking his own life in April, had severe brain damage from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), researchers from Boston University said in a statement Tuesday.

"His 20-year career put him at high risk for development of CTE," Dr. Ann McKee, a neuropathologist and expert on neurodegenerative diseases at Boston University who conducted the study on Adams' brain, said during a press conference attended by insider.

CTE is a degenerative brain disorder that is caused by repeated head traumas. Former athletes who played contact sports like football, boxing, or hockey have a particularly high risk. Currently, the only way to diagnose CTE is via autopsy on a deceased person's brain.

"It's a progressive disease that worsens with age. In many instances, it is a disease of the young," she added.

Symptoms of CTE include memory loss, aggression, impulsive behavior, and emotional instability, according to Mayo Clinic.

Adams had 'unusually severe' CTE — similar to Aaron Hernandez

McKee is a leading figure in CTE research, studying brains of many former players, including that of the late Aaron Hernandez.

Hernandez, a former New England Patriots tight end, was convicted for the murder of Odin Lloyd in 2013. He was later found dead in his jail cell, and his death was ruled suicide. The autopsy on Hernandez's brain revealed that the former tight end suffered from stage-III CTE — "the worst case of CTE ever found," according to McKee.

McKee said that Adams' autopsy revealed he had stage-II CTE, with similar damage to Hernandez. He had severe CTE in both frontal lobes of his brain, which is associated with violent activity, McKee said.

"Mr. Adams' CTE pathology was different however from other young NFL players with CTE. It was different in that it was unusually severe in both frontal lobes. In its frontal lobe predominance, Adams' CTE pathology was similar to that of another young NFL player, namely Aaron Hernandez," McKee said during the press conference.

Adams parents said in a statement shared with Insider: "We are pleased to have a better understanding of the mental turmoil that Phillip was dealing with during the last moments of his life."

Adams' family said he was 'seeking help from the NFL'

According to his parents, Adams was "desperately seeking help from the NFL," but they said all of his claims were denied because of his "inability to remember things and to handle seemingly simple tasks such as traveling hours away to see doctors and going through extensive evaluations," according to the statement.

The NFL has not responded to Insider's request for a comment.

In 2018 the NFL agreed to pay more than $1 billion in a settlement for victims of chronic brain trauma and their families. However, many of the families that were supposed to receive settlements found that their payout was reduced to much less than initially expected, and in some cases a negative balance, after deductions, according to USA Today.

Still, the NFL does not monitor the number of times players are hit in the head throughout their career and track their risk of CTE.

McKee encouraged the league to and to put together a "comprehensive care package' for retired players," based on their risk of brain damage.