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A man who called 911 to say he was suicidal had already begun killing a Greenwood County family, authorities said, in an October 2013 attack that left six people dead, including the gunman and two young boys.

The Greenwood County Sheriff's Office said Bryan Sweatt, 27, phoned dispatchers at about 5:54 p.m. on Oct. 29, 2013, and told a call-taker, "I'm just stressed out and about to take my life." A woman could be heard in the background saying, "don't point that at me." When the dispatcher asked whether he was armed, Sweatt answered "a 44," and the line went dead less than a minute into the call.

Moments later a neighbor called 911 after four children ran to his door. The oldest, about 4, told the neighbor that Sweatt had a gun and had taken "my mama in the back of the room," according to the recordings. An infant cried through the call.

Deputies who reached the home found six people shot to death: Richard Fields, 51; his wife, Melissa, 49; their daughter Chandra Fields, 26; and two boys who lived in the house, 11-year-old Tariq Robinson and 9-year-old William Robinson. Sweatt was among the dead. Sheriff Tony Davis said the killings looked like executions, and that Sweatt had broken in and waited for the family to return.

Sweatt and Chandra Fields had a 7-month-old daughter and were feuding over custody, investigators said. The infant was among the four children who fled to the neighbor's house and were not harmed.

Sweatt had a long arrest record that law enforcement described as that of a career criminal, with more than a dozen bookings over three years. He was free on bond at the time, awaiting trial on a first-degree burglary charge that could have sent him to prison for up to 30 years.

Because Sweatt died at the scene, no charges were filed. His status as a repeat offender who was out on bond drew scrutiny in the days after the killings.