Police: Man shoots Cartersville lawyer before shooting himself

CARTERSVILLE, Ga. - Police are investigating after a man shot a lawyer before shooting himself in Cartersville Wednesday afternoon. 

Just after 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Cartersville Police officers were called to the 600 block of North Tennessee Street in reference to a shooting call at Antonio Mari's law office. 

Responding officers found Mari with a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene. 

Investigators learned Mari was shot by Walter Radford, who fled the shooting scene in a Ford pickup truck. Police said after Radford shot Mari, he called his ex-wife and told her what he did. Authorities said he then went to his ex-wife's house, broke in through the back door, and shot himself.

Detectives found the truck at a home on Willow Bend Drive in Cartersville. Just before 3 p.m. Wednesday, officers, and deputies forced entry inside the house and found Radford dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. 

Mari was representing Radford's wife in a divorce case. 

Mari's friend, Tony Perrotta, told FOX 5 News just hours before the deadly shooting, Mari said he was afraid of Radford.

"He knew going in that this guy was a danger to him.  He pulled me aside and said 'Tony, I've got some guy who I'm legitimately afraid of," said Perrotta.

Mari was well known in the community. Before practicing law, he was a teacher at Cass High School.

Friends are devastated over the death of Antonio Mari. They say he was an attorney, a husband, and an all-around great guy who loved helping people.

"He was just a kind, gentle, polite soul," said Perrotta.