Story highlights The shootings occurred a half-mile away from one another

Suspect killed himself and was found hours later, police say

(CNN) A gunman shot five people dead at two residences in eastern Georgia, then turned the gun on himself in his home, authorities said.

Authorities first discovered two women and a man fatally shot Friday night at one address in Appling, said Capt. Andy Shedd of Columbia County Sheriff's Office.

Shortly thereafter, police got a call of another crime scene a half-mile away in the same town. There, they found two other people shot dead -- a man and a woman, he said.

The shootings occurred about 40 minutes apart, police said.

"We believe the two shootings were related based on witness accounts," Shedd said.

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