Steph Solis, and Bryan Alexander

USA TODAY

The man suspected of killing five people in a pair of shootings Friday night in northeast Georgia was described by his daughter as a "ticking time bomb."

Wayne Anthony Hawes, 50, of Appling, shot himself in the head Friday after allegedly shooting five people, according to a statement from Columbia County sheriff's Capt. Andy Shedd. Shedd confirmed that the incident stemmed from a domestic dispute and some of the victims are believed to be related to Hawes' wife.

Lauren Hawes told the Associated Press on Saturday that she and her 1-year-old daughter barely escaped her father's rampage and hid in a neighbor’s house. She said her mother, Angela Dent, had walked out on her father just a week ago and took her possessions with her to prevent Hawes from destroying them.

“He made threats before, but we never thought it would be at this capacity,” Lauren Hawes said. “He’s been kind of a ticking time bomb if you want to put in a few words.”

Police first responded to reports of a shooting at 7:54 p.m. Friday at a Johnson Drive house in Appling, Shedd said. Officers found three shooting victims at that crime scene: Roosevelt Burns, 75; Rheba Mae Dent, 85; and Kelia Clark, 31.

Burns and Dent were pronounced dead at the scene. Clark died at the hospital, Shedd said.

Less than an hour later, police received a call about another shooting, this time at a Washington Road residence. Officers found 59-year-old Lizzy Williams and 62-year-old Shelly Williams dead at the scene, Shedd said.

Authorities determined the shootings were related, based on witness accounts. Their investigation led them to Hawes, Shedd said. They surveilled Hawes' house on the 3300 block of Rosemont Road until after midnight, when they entered the house. That's when they found Hawes' body. Authorities believe he unsuccessfully tried to set his house on fire before killing himself.

Shedd did not elaborate on the nature of the domestic dispute between Hawes and his wife.

"We are investigating all circumstances that led up to the shooting," he said.

Georgia TV station WRDW reported that Hawes was arrested six times in Columbia County, starting in 1989. He faced charges for simple battery, speeding, driving without a license, shoplifting, selling cocaine, driving under the influence, obstruction of officers, and fleeing from police.

Lauren Hawes told the AP of her father: “He’s done things that were questionable in the past, but never to this extent. This is very surprising. We thought he could possibly hurt himself, but not others."