On Sunday evening, more than 50 residents in the northeast Georgia city of Commerce gathered on a street corner to smile and wave as cars passed by.
The simple gesture of goodwill marked an unthinkable tragedy: Earlier that morning, at the Hardee’s restaurant at the same corner, 72-year-old Calvin Varnum was gunned down. Varnum, a fixture in the community who was described by his family as having special needs, was known for getting breakfast there every morning and greeting fellow early risers with a smile.
His shooting death has rocked the Jackson County city, located about 70 miles from downtown Atlanta.
“I don’t know what your motive would be to kill him,” police Chief Kenneth Harmon told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “So it’s, it’s just horrible.”
Varnum was standing on the sidewalk outside the fast-food restaurant when someone driving a dark blue Dodge Journey pulled up around 7:30 a.m. The chief said surveillance footage showed the SUV circle the parking lot and return to where Varnum stood. A short exchange took place and shots were fired, Harmon added.
Varnum was resuscitated at the scene on Homer Road by a good Samaritan and taken to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Hall County, where he died from his injuries, according to a police news release.
The septuagenarian was beloved by everyone in town, Harmon said. He was routinely seen walking up and down the road or standing on the corner, waving at everyone who came by. While Varnum wasn’t very communicative, he brightened the day of everyone he met.
“He was just a sweet, harmless guy doing his thing,” Harmon said. “We all knew him.”
“He always waved at people, and people waved and spoke to him,” added longtime resident Ted Yonce, who said he just spoke to Varnum a week ago when he stopped at Hardee’s to get breakfast. “This was crazy to happen in Commerce on a Sunday morning.”
Adrienne Henderson, another resident, told the AJC she looked forward to seeing him every morning.
“As I headed to take the kids to school or go to work, I told myself many of times I wish I had his energy he had … it’s definitely going to be different with him not being there,” she said.
Hundreds of people also shared their shock and disgust on a police Facebook post, hoping the news wasn’t true. Residents in the city of less than 10,000 wrote how he “wouldn’t hurt a soul.”
At a vigil in his honor Sunday night, a crowd gathered outside the Hardee’s to lay flowers and light candles. Some brought along sidewalk chalk to leave messages of support. Many spoke of Varnum with tears in their eyes.
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Police said they are investigating the shooting in partnership with the GBI. After speaking to witnesses and looking at surveillance footage, investigators said they believe the suspect was driving the Dodge, which was last seen traveling north on Homer Road away from the scene, according to the release.
They are seeking a person of interest in the case but have not publicly identified a suspect. Xavier Clark, 23, is wanted for questioning as the last known driver of the Dodge Journey with Georgia tag CKP9568.
Credit: Commerce Police Department
Credit: Commerce Police Department
Commerce has already come together to add to a reward offered by Skate A-Rama USA, a local roller skating rink, for information leading to an arrest and conviction, police said. The rink paused donations at $12,080 when the person of interest was named Sunday night. They are still collecting donations for his Varnum’s funeral expenses.
Harmon said investigators are “doing everything that we can” to return a sense of security to the community and to seek justice for Varnum. Anyone with more information is asked to contact Commerce police at 706-335-1847. Tipsters can also contact the GBI anonymously at 1-800-597-TIPS (8477).
— Please return to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for updates.
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