Police say 81-year-old James Edward McDaniel was an uninvolved bystander when gunfire erupted outside the Gainesville, Georgia, store.
GAINESVILLE, Ga. — An 18-year-old has been arrested and a 17-year-old is being sought in connection with gunfire outside a Gainesville Walmart that killed an 81-year-old shopper who police say had nothing to do with the confrontation.
Gainesville police identified the arrested suspect as Kamari Nehemiah Tilmuth, 18, of Gainesville. The Hall County SWAT Team arrested him early Sunday while executing a search warrant, police said. Tilmuth is charged with felony murder, four counts of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. Police are also searching for Erron Lamar Dorsey, 17, of Gainesville, who is wanted on the same charges. The charges are allegations, and the investigation remains active.
The shooting happened shortly after 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14, in the parking lot of the Walmart at 400 Shallowford Road. Police said two groups of males became involved in a confrontation inside the store before the dispute continued outside. Investigators allege Tilmuth and Dorsey opened fire on a group of males in the parking lot. Authorities have not announced charges against anyone else involved in the confrontation or released a full account of what led to it.
James Edward McDaniel, 81, of Lula, was leaving the store when he was struck by the gunfire. Police have repeatedly said he was not involved in the dispute. Earlier in the investigation, authorities said McDaniel was on the opposite side of the parking lot from the gunfire, and later reporting placed him at least 130 yards from the shooter. McDaniel had finished shopping and was using a motorized mobility scooter as he headed toward his vehicle.
McDaniel was taken in critical condition to Northeast Georgia Medical Center and died from his injuries. Police initially described him as an innocent bystander while investigators worked through what officials called a large crime scene. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation assisted Gainesville police with processing the area, and the Walmart and surrounding parking lot were closed while investigators collected evidence.
McDaniel’s family described him as a Navy veteran, former postal employee, husband, father and great-grandfather. His wife, Gloria McDaniel, said the couple had been together for decades and that her husband regularly handled shopping for their household. Family members said he joined the Navy after turning 18 and later served in the Navy Reserve. He also spent more than two decades working for the U.S. Postal Service.
Ted McDaniel, one of McDaniel’s children, remembered his father as a warm and devoted family man. “My dad was just kind of a fun, loving guy,” he told Atlanta News First. “We always knew he loved us.” Gloria McDaniel said the consequences of the shooting extend beyond her own family, telling the station that the people responsible had also damaged their own lives through their actions.
The arrest marked a major change in the investigation since police first announced McDaniel’s death. For several days, authorities had not publicly identified a suspected shooter or said what prompted the gunfire. On Sunday, police said investigators had identified Tilmuth and Dorsey as suspects and credited cooperation among the Gainesville Police Department, Hall County Sheriff’s Office, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, FBI and the Hall County district attorney’s office.
Police have not said whether the firearms used in the shooting have been recovered. They also have not publicly disclosed all of the evidence that led investigators to identify the two teenagers or provided details about Tilmuth’s first scheduled court appearance. Those questions remain part of an investigation that authorities said is continuing.
Dorsey remained at large as of Sunday, Oct. 18, while Tilmuth was in custody. Gainesville police said they are continuing to search for Dorsey and investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting. No court has determined either suspect’s guilt, and police have said additional information will be released as the investigation allows.
Author note: Last updated October 18, 2026.