Calvin Varnum, 72, was a familiar presence in Commerce, Georgia, known for greeting people at the local Hardee’s. On the morning of Sunday, May 21, 2023, at about 7:30 a.m., surveillance footage shows a dark blue Dodge Journey circling the Hardee’s parking lot and stopping near Varnum. After a brief exchange of words, shots were fired from the vehicle, striking Varnum multiple times. A bystander reportedly resuscitated him before emergency responders arrived, but Varnum died shortly after at Northeast Georgia Medical Center.

The Commerce Police Department, assisted by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, identified 23-year-old Xavier Clark as a person of interest and located him on the evening of May 22; he was arrested initially on an unrelated warrant. Clark was later charged in connection with Varnum’s death, including felony murder, malice murder, aggravated assault, and two counts of second-degree cruelty to children because two children were inside the restaurant during the shooting. A makeshift memorial of flowers and messages grew outside the Hardee’s as the community mourned.

Does anyone have information about the Dodge Journey or that morning’s activity in the Hardee’s parking lot?