Augusta, GA
Augusta is spared from becoming the site of another mass shooting
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Richmond County Sheriff Richard Roundtree said Saturday morning’s shooting in downtown Augusta could have easily become a mass shooting.
Luckily, it wasn’t, something he credits to quick action from some nearby deputies.
Gunfire erupted around 1:15 a.m. at 10th and Broad streets when two gunmen fired at each other on a crowded sidewalk, Roundtree said at a Saturday afternoon news conference.
DOWNTOWN SHOOTING: TEAM COVERAGE
At one point, at least one of the gunmen opened fire on the crowd, Roundtree said.
Two people were injured, plus the gunman, who was shot by nearby deputies.
It could have easily been a mass shooting, Roundtree said at a news conference Saturday afternoon.
He’s thankful it wasn’t.
Mass shootings are on the rise in the U.S., and Augusta hasn’t been spared from the trend.
A mass shooting in May 2023 killed two people and injured others at an Augusta motorcycle club on East Boundary. Investigators found 150 shell casings at that scene after what authorities say was a dispute between motorcycle groups.
Local authorities have trained for mass shooting incidents. Just Wednesday, they held a symposium on how to deal with emergencies and mass casualty incidents like what Saturday’s shooting could have become.
CNN reported that last year, the country saw 655 mass shootings, according to the Gun Violence Archive, and 2021 saw an even higher number: 689.
Between 2019 and 2020, the overall gun homicide rate rose about 35%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
CNN reported that the archive shows mass shootings especially increased after May 2020, following the trend of an overall rise in gun violence during the pandemic.
MASS SHOOTINGS SO FAR THIS YEAR IN THE U.S.:
In the CSRA, that problem has lingered, with more than 150 lives lost in an outbreak of deadly violence in a little over two years.
The outbreak has affected communities large and small on both sides of the Savannah River, but as the largest city in the region, Augusta has been hit especially hard.
Authorities have blamed much of the problem on gangs.
Roundtree called the May 2023 mass shooting incident “a lesson learned.”
“To bring this type of violence to our city, to add us to a national mass shooting list, is unconscionable. This is something we will not tolerate here in Richmond County,” Roundtree said after that shooting.
Team coverage by News 12 staff members including Audrey Dickherber, Hallie Turner, Jada Walker, Sydney Hood, Will Rioux, Nick Proto, Zayna Haliburton, Ashley Campbell, Estelle Parsley, Aaron Wilson, Mikel Hannah-Harding, Gary Pikula, Steve Byerly and Lois White.
Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) — The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office has made multiple arrests in a deadly shooting that left one teenager dead and another injured early Saturday morning.
According to deputies, the incident happened June 20, at approximately 12:50 a.m. in the 200 block of Warren Road, where authorities responded to reports of shots fired involving two gunshot victims.
When deputies arrived, they located two 18-year-old men from Augusta.
Officials identified the victims as Eric Markquis Bartley Miller and Joseph Lamar Thomas.
Investigators say Miller sustained at least one gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Thomas was also found with at least one gunshot wound and was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office says the circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under active investigation.
As of Saturday afternoon, three teenage suspects have been arrested and charged in connection with the incident.
18-year-old Dmihjay Collins, 17-year-old Tayshaun Thomas, and 17-year-old Joseph Thomas have all been arrested and charged with Murder, Aggravated Assault, and Possession of Machine Guns. They are all currently being held at the Webster Detention Center.
A fourth teenager, 17-year-old Reante Byrd was also arrested, but investigators have not linked him to the murder case. Byrd has been charged with Possession of a Pistol or Revolver by a Person Under the Age of 18. He is also being held in the Webster Detention Center.
No further details in the investigation have been released.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Students showcased drones they built during a two-week summer camp at Augusta Regional Airport on Friday.
12 junior and high school students attended the camp, where they learned to fly and build drones designed to help others.
Anderson Puryear, a student, said the camp focused on delivering small medical supplies.
“It was focused on delivering small medical supplies like an EPI pen or glucose packet for like diabetics and for people with allergies in need in the real world that could obviously help save lives, and if people are like in a place in a boat or like in the desert or in the forest where they can’t easily access those supplies it can save their lives,” Puryear said.
The airport partnered with Georgia Tech, state troopers and the Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting Department for the Air Edu Summer Camp.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The 10th annual Juneteenth Augusta Festival brought families to the Augusta Fairgrounds on Friday despite the muggy heat.
Cultural and community-focused events, live music performances and food trucks were available at the celebration.
Tonia Hill, attending the Juneteenth celebration, said she loves the holiday and is supporting the community, though she acknowledged the weather conditions.
“I love Juneteenth. And I’m supporting everybody. It’s hot. It’s hot. It’s hot,” Hill said.
The festival runs until 10 p.m.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
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