Augusta, GA

1 arrested, 2 wanted in Martinez shooting

Published

2 months ago

January 28, 2026

1 arrested, 2 wanted in Martinez shooting

MARTINEZ, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The alleged shooter connected to a shooting that occurred on Wednesday afternoon, which resulted in one person being hospitalized and led to lockdowns at three schools, has been arrested.

The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office says that 18-year-old Davonte Taylor, of Evans, was taken into custody on Wednesday around 10:00 p.m. at an apartment complex off Skinner Mill Road.

According to authorities, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office was working in coordination with information provided by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and spotted Taylor in the parking lot of the apartment complex.

“We are glad we were able to assist Sheriff Clay Whittle and our partners with the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, who continually assist us as well. We truly appreciate and value this strong working relationship as we work together to keep the entire CSRA safe,” said Sheriff Eugene Brantley.

Officials say Taylor is a student at Lakeside High.

Davonte Taylor(Contributed)

The victim in the shooting is in critical condition, officials say.

The shooting occurred near the Blueridge Commons Apartments on the 500 block of Commons Drive, according to authorities, which is directly behind Blue Ridge.

News 12 spoke to neighbors, including Nicholas Koenig, who rushed home to check on his pets after hearing about the shooting outside his apartment.

“My neighbor, who lives right over here, had texted me pictures of out by the road of all the cop cars in front of our apartment. And I was like, I need to go check on my pets because I have two pets,” Koenig said.

He says this isn’t something that he’d expect in his neighborhood, right next to the three schools.

“It’s nerve-wracking because you kind of get in that perspective wherever you are in life, that it’s a safe spot, nothing’s going to happen around you. And then it’s all of a sudden things happen that you can’t control,” he said.

The sheriff’s office is also searching for two other black male suspects in that area, with at least one wearing a grey hoodie.

According to a letter from the superintendent, all of Wednesday’s after-school activities were cancelled.

The sheriff’s office initially responded to reports of a possible shooting near the 4000 block of Riverwatch Parkway on Wednesday afternoon, shortly after 3 p.m.

The scene was starting to clear around 5:45 p.m.

“We want to reassure you that school will be in regular session tomorrow, and as always, student safety will remain paramount in every decision we make. We appreciate your partnership and trust as we work together to keep our school community safe,” Principal Juliet King said in a letter to families Wednesday evening.

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Augusta, GA

Augusta’s Turpin neighborhood to get affordable homes with $1.85M federal grant

Published

42 minutes ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

Augusta’s Turpin neighborhood to get affordable homes with .85M federal grant

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The historic Turpin neighborhood will soon welcome more affordable homes after Augusta Habitat for Humanity was awarded $1.85 million in federal funding this week.

The grant will fund the construction of at least 12 homes in the area.

“Habitat for Humanity applied for federal funding, and they were awarded the funding,” said District 2 Commissioner Stacy Pulliam.

Reviving a historic community

The Turpin neighborhood was once home to professionals, including educators, doctors, and lawyers.

“These big professionals that lived mostly over this way,” one resident said of the neighborhood’s history.

Pulliam described the area’s former prominence as “its grand days of glory, when it was the place.”

The project brings together city organizers and community partners through the Georgia Initiative for Community Housing, or GICH.

“We have so many partners. We have the Housing Authority on board. We have a representative from the Hub on board,” Pulliam said. “There’s so many great partners at the table that’s helping pull all of this together.”

Federal support and future plans

The project received backing from Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock.

Habitat for Humanity, with support from GICH, focused its application on Turpin Hill intentionally, as officials say the community had been needing to be addressed for years.

With Habitat for Humanity continuing to advocate for more funds, Pulliam said their motivation could lead to additional housing development in the future.

“We keep going and going and going,” she said. “Now we can do 20. Now we can do multifamily. So it’s fueling our fire to get more housing, but not just housing, to clean up the area.”

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Augusta, GA

Trump to sign emergency order to pay TSA agents as Augusta airport preps for golf week

Published

13 hours ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

Trump to sign emergency order to pay TSA agents as Augusta airport preps for golf week

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – President Donald Trump said he will sign an emergency declaration to pay TSA agents, as nearly 500 have quit since the shutdown began.

More than 40 percent of Atlanta’s TSA agents did not show up on Wednesday, leading to long lines at Atlanta’s airport and across the country. It is unclear when President Trump will sign the emergency order. TSA workers will miss their second paycheck Friday.

In a statement on Truth Social, President Trump said, “I am going to sign an Order instructing the Secretary of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin, to immediately pay our TSA Agents in order to address this Emergency Situation.”

The president thanked TSA agents. The Department of Homeland Security as a whole will not be funded at this time. The Coast Guard and FEMA are among the agencies still impacted.

If senators do not reach a deal to fund the department on Friday, they are set for a two-week recess.

Augusta airport prepares for tournament week

TSA workers are a concern as tournament week approaches in Augusta. Security and safety are also concerns after a plane collided with a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport.

Augusta Regional Airport and its fire department are working to keep visitors safe as they fly in for tournament week.

William Kovalchuk, a sergeant with the Augusta Airport Fire Department, operates an airport-specific fire truck.

“There’s a ton of traffic and a ton of congestion. This whole ramp area where I showed you guys a little bit ago, it’ll be completely filled with aircraft,” Kovalchuk said.

Tournament week sees the regional airport become a global hub, with flights in from 13 extra cities and more than 200 private planes parked on the tarmac.

Lauren Smith, deputy director of Augusta Regional Airport, said the airport works closely with the FAA during tournament week.

“During that time, we actually work very closely with the FAA to bring in additional controllers,” Smith said.

Extra controllers keep the airspace and runway safe. Enhanced safety measures are in place inside the terminal as well.

“Overall, everyone brings in more staff. The tenants, the rental car agencies, the airlines, the airport itself,” Smith said.

The fire department stages a second station across the airport to cover every flight.

“The manning will be stepped up quite a bit,” Kovalchuk said. “We don’t want to see anything happen, but we’re prepared for it.”

The airport said the average wait time is still less than an hour to get through security during tournament week.

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Augusta, GA

Jefferson County library director named Georgia Library Director of the Year

Published

1 day ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

Jefferson County library director named Georgia Library Director of the Year

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Georgia Library Director of the Year was honored at a ceremony in Jefferson County.

Christina Shepherd received the award and a county proclamation. Jefferson County officials also honored the library board during the ceremony.

“I’m very thankful. I think it’s great for Jefferson County to have this award brought here and bringing light to us,” Shepherd said. “I don’t think I do anything extraordinary that any librarian wouldn’t do, but I just keep doing it. I appreciate it. I’m thankful.”

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