South Carolina man who killed five told 911 he was 'stressed'

Police release emergency call where one of Bryan Sweatt's victims can be heard pleading with him to put his weapon down

Bryan Sweatt, 27, can be heard telling a police dispatcher that he was "stressed out" and wanted to commit suicide, before he killed five people at a ranch-style residence in Greenwood, including two children. (Police handout )

The shocking transcript of an emergency call made by a man telling a Greenwood County 911 operator he was "stressed" just moments before he fatally shot five people has been released by police.

South Carolina resident Bryan Sweatt, 27, can be heard telling a police dispatcher that he was "stressed out" and wanted to commit suicide, before he killed five people at a ranch-style residence in Greenwood, including two children.

Sweatt had broken into his girlfriend's parent's house and waited for her to return home on Tuesday afternoon, police said.

After telling the dispatcher his address, a woman can be heard in the background crying and pleading: "Please put it down", leading the operator to ask if he is carrying a weapon. He replies "yes, a 44", before telling the woman to "get in there". The line then goes dead.

South Carolina police say that shortly after this Sweatt shot dead his girlfriend Chandra Fields, her parents and two children living there.

The youngest victim was just nine years-old.

Police have not yet identified a motive but say Sweatt was embroiled in a custody fight with his over their seven-month-old daughter and was facing a burglary charge.

Sweatt allowed four children to escape - his seven -month-old daughter, the infant's cousin and two neighborhood children who came to the door after school to play with the Fields' grandchildren.

Sheriff Tony Davis said while police were on their way, a neighbor called saying four children from that address had arrived at her house and told her a shot had been fired. He said the children remained at her house.

After about an hour and “several unsuccessful attempts” by officers to make contact with anyone in the home, the SWAT team entered and discovered the bodies, authorities said.