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Augusta, GA

Augusta Mall shooting: Terrified customers hide in dressing rooms

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Augusta Mall shooting: Terrified customers hide in dressing rooms


AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Richmond County Sheriff’s Office deputies rushed to Augusta Mall after reports of gunshots there.

Dispatchers say the initial report came in at 1:43 p.m. Sunday.

The sheriff’s office said deputies learned the shooting happened in Dillard’s.

Upon arrival, deputies were informed the suspect had fled the scene and the victim had left, too.

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Deputies later learned the victim had driven themselves to a local hospital for treatment.

A report of gunfire shut down Augusta Mall on April 28, 2024.(wrdw)

The mall was closed and will remain closed until Monday, when it will resume normal business hours.

Sheriff’s Lt. Robbie Silas termed it an isolated incident and said investigators are actively looking for the suspect.

People at the mall told News 12 they hid inside dressing rooms at a department store once they heard gunfire.

At the scene, we saw eight Richmond County Sheriff’s Office vehicles and two Central EMS ambulances with lights flashing and no activity.

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It’s not the first time shots have been fired at the mall.

On Oct. 3 2022, one person was killed in a shooting at the mall. Tony Rodrequez Burton, of Augusta, was found guilty in October 2023 of two counts of voluntary manslaughter and possession of a firearm during commission of a felony,

The shooting also prompted a lawsuit by an employee who claimed the mall failed to keep the premises safe.

In June 2022, someone displayed a gun during an altercation in the food court. No shots were fired, and no one was injured.

A report of gunfire shut down Augusta Mall on April 28, 2024.
A report of gunfire shut down Augusta Mall on April 28, 2024.(wrdw)

Sunday’s incident comes amid an outbreak of violent crimes that’s claimed more than 150 lives across the CSRA in two years. It’s 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, and many of the victims as well as the suspects have been young men.

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Augusta, GA

South Augusta YMCA will not renew Tobacco Road lease

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South Augusta YMCA will not renew Tobacco Road lease


AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The South Augusta YMCA will not renew its lease at the Tobacco Road location, the Y confirmed.

The shopping center is being sold, and the current lease ends in October.

The Y has not announced a final day at the current location. Officials said they plan to announce that date and next steps for South Augusta later this month.

The YMCA said it still plans to serve South Augusta after the lease expires.

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Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.



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Augusta, GA

Man charged with murder in shooting death of Augusta woman

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Man charged with murder in shooting death of Augusta woman


AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A man who was previously wanted for questioning in an Augusta deadly shooting has now been charged with murder in the case, according to authorities.

The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office says Kemfton Quewanaki Kenon, 27, was arrested on Friday in connection to the shooting death of Khyla Rodriguez, of Augusta.

Kemfton Quewanaki Kenon(Richmond County Sheriff’s Office)

Kenon is booked into the Charles B. Webster Detention Center and charged with murder and possession of a firearm during a crime, according to jail bookings.

Rodriguez, 25, was found dead after deputies received a call about a shooting on May 15 at 1:11 a.m. on Cameron Drive.

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The Richmond County Coroner’s Office said Rodriguez was pronounced dead at 2:27 a.m.

Kenon was previously wanted for questioning in the case and was located in Miami-Dade County, Florida. He was interviewed and arrested on an unrelated warrant.

Deputies were also interviewed two other subjects in the case. They were not arrested in the case.

Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.



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Augusta, GA

South Augusta community raises concern over Family Y on Tobacco Road

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South Augusta community raises concern over Family Y on Tobacco Road


AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – People who live in South Augusta are raising concerns about the future of the Family Y on Tobacco Road.

Officials say the facility has been operating at a loss for years, and have had a low number of memberships. The location also has a new owner. The cost of the lease is too high and the facility is also in need of renovations, which are said to be costly.

“The reality is we couldn’t afford the current lease that we were in,” said Catie McCauley, president and CEO of Family Y of Greater Augusta. “Over the last 10 years we’ve been subsidizing this lot. So we got to look at a model that we can sustain for the next several generations not just the next couple years.”

The location is set to close in October, but officials say they are working with community members and contractors for a new building that they can move into and are committed to staying in South Augusta.

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Photojournalist credit: Gary Hipps



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