A husband sot dead his eight-year-old son and wife before killing himself at a gas station in Georgia last night . Christopher Whitmore , 36 , pulled up behind to where his wife was parked with their son Grayden in the backseat and killed his child before turning the gun on Melissa Ball , 27 , and then himself . Police said Ball and Whitmore had a history of domestic issues and were separated - but at this stage it is unclear what motivated the horrific shooting in Varnell . Killed his family : Christopher Whitmore murdered his wife Melissa Ball ( left ) , 27 , and their eight-year-old son Grayden ( pictured together , right ) before turning the gun on himself at a gas station in Georgia last night . Ball was seen pulling into the joint Shell station and McDonald 's in her Ford Focus at around 7pm , when her husband drove up behind her in his 2010 Dodge . Both had got out of their cars when Whitmore drew a handgun and started shooting . A Tennessee man named Jeff Holmes , who said Ball was his niece , wrote on Facebook : 'Please pray for our family . My beautiful neice Melissa Ball and her son Grayden were taken from us tonight in Varnell Georgia . We are in total shock . ' According to her Facebook page , Ball worked at a pediatrician 's office in Dalton . Police say all of the victims lived in Beaverdale , around ten miles east of Varnell , New York Daily News reports . Horrific shooting : A gas station in Varnell , Georgia was seen cordoned off last night after Christopher Whitmore shot his son , wife and then himself . A recent picture of her has attracted a flood of comments from bereaved friends , with one writing 'such an angel ' and another posting 'miss you so much already dear friend ' . Sheriff Scott Chitwood told The Dalton Daily Citizen the couple had 'domestic issues ' . Police received the call at 6:49pm that people had been shot in the parking lot of a convenience center at 3896 Cleveland Highway . Chitwood added : 'Investigators have determined Ms Ball pulled up to a gas pump at the Shell station in her 2013 Ford Focus and immediately after she pulled up Christopher Eric Whitmore drove up and parked directly behind her . Investigation underway : Police said Ball and Whitmore had a history of domestic issues and were separated . 'They both exited their cars and both walked to the back door ( passenger side ) of the 2010 Dodge Mr Whitmore was driving . 'Investigators determined at that time Christopher Eric Whitmore pulled out a handgun and shot their son while he was sitting in the back seat of the Dodge . 'Whitmore then immediately pointed the gun at Ms. Ball and shot her , and then shot himself . '
jack Ball was driving at police station with bill Grayden in the backseat . Christopher Whitmore pulled up beside car , shooting his son and then wife . he had history of domestic violence but motivation for killing not guilty .