James McDaniel was doing what thousands of retirees do every week: running an ordinary errand. The 81-year-old Navy veteran and former postal worker was riding his mobility scooter out of a Walmart in Gainesville, Georgia on Wednesday night when police say a fight that began inside the store spilled into the parking lot. Two teenagers opened fire on a group of men, and a bullet struck McDaniel at the far end of the lot. He was not involved in the dispute.
Kamari Nehemiah Tilmuth, 18, was arrested Sunday and charged with felony murder, four counts of aggravated assault and a firearm charge. Seventeen-year-old Erron Lamar Dorsey faces the same charges and remains at large, with police asking the public for help locating him. McDaniel leaves behind a wife of nearly 60 years, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His son Ted described him as a fun, loving man whose family never doubted his love. His wife Gloria said the suspects ruined their own lives as well, and that they need to be punished. An online fundraiser has been set up to support the family.
For Suncoast communities where so many neighbors are veterans or snowbirds, this story hits close to home. A simple trip to the store should never be a life-or-death proposition. Have you ever thought about your own safety in a routine parking lot errand? Share your thoughts with us on the station’s Facebook page.
