GASTONIA, N.C. -- An unemployed mechanic who often yelled at children playing in his neighborhood has been charged with killing a 12-year-old girl and her father and wounding five others who tried to help.

David Clayton Lynch, 30, surrendered to police nearly five hours after the shooting began yesterday. Lynch's father said his son had a history of mental problems.

"He'd had a mental breakdown and had blackouts," Tony Lynch, Charlotte, said of his son. "And he'd been having trouble with his neighbors. Maybe that's what set him off."

India Anderson, 12, was fatally shot as she emerged from her home on her way to school. Bobby Anderson was shot to death when he tried to reach his dying daughter. Her mother, Tammy Anderson, was grazed in the head.

A man who was visiting the neighborhood said he watched from a nearby house as India, wounded, struggled to keep walking. "I heard a couple more shots, and she fell to the ground," said Mohamed Amir Eller.

"He couldn't stand for kids to come into his yard," said Ricky Anthony, a neighbor.

Police and rescue workers were unable to reach the dead and wounded for hours as the gunman continued to fire sporadically through the morning.

Lynch was being held without bond in Gaston County Jail.