A man shot his wife and his elementary school-aged son to death, then killed himself in the parking lot of a McDonald’s in Varnell on Thursday night, the Daily Citizen in Dalton reported.

The names of the three Whitfield County residents were not immediately released.

Vanell is about 100 miles north of Atlanta.

—Please return for updates.

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Carleigh Knight (left) and her sister, Natalie Rogovin, look at Christmas ornaments while shopping at Kudzu Antiques + Modern in Decatur on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025. (Natrice Miller/AJC)

Credit: Natrice Miller