Kentavious White: Georgia man who shot dead mom, grandmom and McDonald's manager before killing himself identified
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MOULTRIE, GEORGIA: A 26-year-old McDonald's worker reportedly took the lives of three women before turning the gun on himself in Georgia on Thursday morning, May 4. Kentavious White started the killing spree after murdering his mother and grandmother at their home and then went to his workplace to fatally shoot his manager. The gunman then subsequently took his own life in the restaurant in Moultrie, the largest city of Colquitt County.
The city which homes to fewer than 15,000 people is left in horror since the violent incident took place. "A killing is pretty rare in our neck of the woods. It's surprising", Colquitt County's government administrator, Chas Cannon told the Associated Press.
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The gunman's rampage
According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), whose agents are working on the case, the incident took place in the early morning. Moultrie Police Chief Sean Ladson requested the bureau's assistance after a man and a woman were found in a lifeless state with bullet wounds at the McDonald's at 506 1st Avenue at around 5.50 am.
Ladson called back a couple of times more while agents were still on their way to the initial crime scene to inform them about further shootings that had taken place at neighboring homes in the 1100 block of 6th Street. One woman was found dead at the scene, while another was found alive in a critical state. She was immediately rushed to a hospital but died because of her severe injuries.
The bureau issues a statement
"The early investigation indicates that the suspected shooter is Kentavious White, 26, of Moultrie, GA [...] At this point, GBI agents are now investigating deaths at three separate scenes", said a statement released by the GBI on Thursday.
How was the McDonald's manager killed?
The slain manager was identified as Amia Smith, 41, whose murder was recorded by the restaurant's security cameras. "After reviewing the surveillance footage, agents saw that White arrived at the restaurant, [and] got his manager, Amia Smith, to come to the door," the GBI said. "White shot Smith, killing her. White is then seen entering the restaurant where he takes his own life with a self-inflicted gunshot."
The owner and operator of the Moultrie branch of McDonald's, George Suarez said the restaurant will remain closed until further notice. "We are devastated by the loss of our beloved restaurant manager, and our hearts go out to all the victims of this senseless act of violence," Suarez said in a statement.
The other victims
White shot his 50-year-old mother and 74-year-old grandmother Colquitt County Coroner C Verlyn Brock told the AP. However, their names have not been publicly disclosed. All the victims were shot several times before they died. "I can't for the life of me figure out what provoked him [the suspect] in that way", Brock added.
Jerry Goodwin, a next-door neighbor of the gunman, told the outlet that his wife heard shots fired before 1 am on Thursday while he was asleep. He also claimed that White had come outside shouting and had already fired his gun earlier in the week, while the authorities responded to the incident. "I had never seen him hurt anybody or try to hurt anybody before this", Goodwin added.
Moultrie resident Tanner Strickland paid respect to the two women who were tragically killed by the deranged gunman. "Both of them were two of the most amazing people I've had the pleasure of being around," Strickland told WALB-TV. "They both light up any room that they walk into. Both of them really have hearts of gold."