MARION — The usually quiet community of Marion was recovering Monday after a man shot his girlfriend and her father Sunday night in the Dollar General store before turning the gun on himself in the store parking lot.

The gunman was identified Monday by Marion Police Chief Randall Davis as Cedrick Lanier, 29, of Meridian.

The woman and her father were taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries and later released, Davis said Monday.

Marion Alderwoman Rita Rawson said she was on her way to work as a nurse when she stopped at the store Sunday evening. She heard something like fireworks, and thought it could be gunshots. She returned to her car and called 911, then realized the man was only 10 feet away.

Rawson said she saw anger on his face and the man shot into a car as a woman was trying to drive away.

Rawson said she entered the store and heard more gunshots as she was trying to get people into the manager’s office for safety. Rawson described how people in the store were scared, not knowing what was going to happen next.

“No one was prepared for this,” Rawson said.

Rawson called her husband to let him know that she was OK, and there was a lot of calling and texting during the incident.

Rawson said the shooting was a shock to see in a small community such as Marion. The Marion Police Department works hard to make sure things are OK, in the community, she said.

Rawson commended the Marion Police and Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department for arriving at the scene and handling the situation.

Brittany Altman, a Lauderdale County resident who stopped at a convenience store in Marion on Monday, said she learned of the news Monday morning.

“It was just tragic,” Altman said.

She described the community as quiet and a place where she would like to buy a house.

The Dollar General was open for business on Monday. A manager at the store declined comment.

Marion Police responded to the store at 5938 Dale Drive around 6:30 p.m. Sunday. They were assisted by the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department.

Davis said he wasn’t sure what led to the shooting, but the case is being investigated as an isolated incident.

“Any time a situation like this during the holidays, it’s not good at all with somebody to lose their life,” Davis said.

Davis said for as long he has been police chief he has not seen anything like this incident, although the department has handled domestic disturbance calls.

Davis said he still believes the community is safe and people should not have to worry about other crimes happening in the community.

Leslie Payne, executive director of Care Lodge, which helps victims of domestic violence, said during the holidays Care Lodge sees more people using its services.

“It didn’t surprise me,” Payne said.

Due to the emphasis of family gatherings during the holidays, it can lead to stress, especially for those who are in domestic conflicts in which both the victim and the abuser are trying to make things normal for the holidays, Payne said.

“The stress with it will lead to more people acting on abuse,” Payne said.

Yearly, Care Lodge receives between 5,000 to 7,000 phone calls from individuals who are dealing with domestic violence in Lauderdale County and surrounding counties, Payne said.

Anyone with concerns about any kind abuse should call Care Lodge’s crisis line at 601-693-4673 (HOPE).