COMMERCE, Ga. — Hours after a beloved 72-year-old man with special needs was gunned down outside of a fast food restaurant in Commerce, police have identified a person of interest who they say may be connected to the homicide.
Commerce Police identified 23-year-old Xavier Clark as a person of interest and said Clark is wanted for questioning in the death of 72-year-old Calvin Varnum outside a Hardee's early Sunday morning. There is also now there is a $12,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person who killed the man.
He was last seen driving a Blue Dodge Journey, the same vehicle captured in surveillance video driving away from the scene police were searching for. The vehicle's license plate is Georgia tag: CKP9568
Detectives do not have an arrest warrant out for Clark in connection with the shooting, but simply only for questioning at this time.
The shooting left the small northeast Georgia community of Commerce shaken and asking who would do such a thing.
Police said the shooting happened around 7:30 a.m. at the Hardee's at 44 Homer Rd. in Commerce, a city in Jackson County, Georgia, located 70 miles northeast of Atlanta off Interstate-85.
According to the Commerce Police Chief Ken Harmon, Varnum, 72, was standing on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant when the suspected shooter drove up in a dark blue Dodge Journey.
Harmon said the two had some sort of conversation before the suspect shot Varnum multiple times. Police said a Good Samaritan was able to resuscitate Varnum before he was taken to Northeast Georgia Medical Center by EMS, but the 72-year-old died a short time later.
The car, captured in the surveillance image below, was last seen driving north on Homer Road away from the Downtown Commerce.
Varnum, who was not an employee was a beloved member of the community, known for walking around the town and waving to folks every day.
When the Commerce Police Department shared information about the shooting on its Facebook page, hundreds of people flooded the comments of the post to share their shock and devastation.
"I can't imagine not waving to this man every day," one person wrote. "This affected the whole community."
"He was the sweetest man. He waved at everyone he saw. We are going to miss this sweet soul," another person added. "Why would anyone do this!? How can anyone be so cruel?"
Another resident who contacted 11Alive and shared a personal photo of Varnum described him as "such a precious, sweet man." She recounted a moment she shared with him while shopping at a drug store.
"He proudly walked up to me and told me that his name was Calvin and it was his birthday. He told me he was 71 years old and was smiling from ear to ear," she said.
Right now, police are still working the case, described an active investigation. Anyone who has information is asked to contact Detective Sgt. King at 706-335-1847. Anonymous tips also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS(8477), or online on the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's website.