James Edward McDaniel, 81, served in the Navy and spent decades working for the U.S. Postal Service before his death Wednesday.
GAINESVILLE, Ga. — The family of an 81-year-old Navy veteran and retired postal worker is mourning a husband and father whom police say was an innocent bystander when gunfire erupted outside a Gainesville Walmart Wednesday evening.
James Edward McDaniel of Lula was struck shortly after 7 p.m. Oct. 14 in the parking lot of the Walmart on Shallowford Road. Gainesville police have said their preliminary investigation indicates he had no role in the confrontation. McDaniel was critically injured and later died from his injuries.
As investigators search for those responsible, McDaniel’s family has offered a fuller picture of the man behind the police reports. Relatives described a longtime military veteran, postal employee and family man whose ordinary trip to the store ended when he was caught in gunfire between other people.
McDaniel joined the Navy shortly after turning 18 and later served in the Navy Reserve, his wife, Gloria McDaniel, told WSB-TV. His son told FOX 5 Atlanta that McDaniel served during the Vietnam War and was known to many people by his military rank of senior chief.
After his military service, McDaniel built a long career with the U.S. Postal Service. Gloria McDaniel said her husband worked for the Postal Service for 23 years. His family described him as a happy person who valued being with his relatives.
James and Gloria McDaniel married when they were young and had four children. They divorced and later remarried, according to his wife. Their decades-long relationship and McDaniel’s roles as a husband and father became a focus of family remembrances after police identified him as the victim.
Authorities say McDaniel was leaving the Walmart and heading toward his vehicle on a motorized shopping cart when shots were fired across the parking lot. Police Capt. Kevin Holbrook told local media that numerous vehicles and people were in the area as individuals fired at one another. Investigators have not said what started the confrontation.
Police and emergency crews responded to the store, and McDaniel was transported in critical condition. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation assisted Gainesville police with processing the scene. Authorities have said McDaniel was an uninvolved bystander and have released no information suggesting he knew the people involved.
No arrests had been announced Friday, and police had not publicly identified any suspects or disclosed a motive. Investigators also have not said how many people fired weapons. Detectives are working to sort out who witnessed the shooting and who may have been involved.
McDaniel’s death has left his wife and four children grieving while the criminal investigation continues. His family has said it wants accountability for the shooting, while police continue seeking information that could identify the person or people responsible.
The Gainesville Police Department’s investigation remains active. As of Friday, authorities had not announced an arrest, and the circumstances that led to the exchange of gunfire in the Walmart parking lot remained unresolved.
Author note: Last updated October 16, 2026.