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Augusta, GA

Ceremony honors Augusta’s ties to Declaration of Independence

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Ceremony honors Augusta’s ties to Declaration of Independence


AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A monument stands on Greene Street to honor some of those who made our freedom possible.

On Tuesday, a ceremony was held to honor Georgia’s three signers of the Declaration of Independence.

“The monument itself was built in 1848. The Masons were here and laid the cornerstone for the monument to honor the three signers from Georgia that signed the Declaration of Independence,” said Thomas Miller, a local history teacher who was representing the William Few Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution.

Now a ceremony and monument honors Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall and George Walton.

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Walton was from Augusta.

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“We just like to do this event so we can bring awareness to this monument being downtown and have a nice way to celebrate our country’s freedom,” said Noah Vaught, president of Chapter 162 of the National Sojourners.

The ceremony was put on by the National Sojourners, a branch of the Masons.

“We are a group of veterans who want to get together to celebrate our country’s ideals and promote Americanism and patriotism,” said Vaught.

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It’s all about honoring the freedom so many fought for.

Vaught said: “It’s just a reminder to other people um why to continue to understand how great this country is and um and why our freedom is just that important.”

They were letting freedom ring with flowers being placed in a wreath and kids ringing a bell in honor of the more than 50 signers of the Declaration of Independence.

Vaught said: “It’s just important for any young person here to take away a little bit of history.

Preserving that history is why Miller says events like this one are important.

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Miller said: “It’s important to be able to visit sites like this and be able to honor as well as educate others about the people that were there before us. You really get so much more history and a totally different side of the story when you’re actually able to be at these places.”

Miller said there’s many organizations like the national Sojourners and the local Masonic chapter that honor and celebrate local history.

He encourages anyone who is interested to reach out and get involved.



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Augusta, GA

2 young males dead after boat overturns in Screven County

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2 young males dead after boat overturns in Screven County


SYLVANIA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Two young males are dead after their boat overturned while fishing, according to the Screven County Sheriff’s Office.

According to a press release, around 12:45 p.m. on Wednesday, emergency services received a call about a boat overturning in a pond off Poor Robin Road.

Upon arrival, deputies spoke with a young adult male who was located at the scene. The male reported he had been in a boat with two other young males fishing when their boat overturned.

The young male was treated for his injuries and released, according to officials.

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Additional agencies arrived on the scene including the Screven County Marine Rescue Squadron and several local scuba divers.

“After an extensive 5-hour search, in 46-degree water, the bodies of the remaining two young males were located in the pond,” said Sheriff Norman Royal.

The investigation into the circumstances that led up to these deaths is still ongoing, but no foul play is suspected at this time, according to officials.

Screven County EMS, Screven County Fire, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Effingham County Fire and Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office, also assisted in the response.

Sheriff Royal sends his thoughts and prayers to the families of these two young men and thanks all agencies that assisted and made their recovery possible.

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Augusta, GA

WATCH: Gun comes out during fight at Butler High, video shows

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WATCH: Gun comes out during fight at Butler High, video shows


AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A weapon was seized by school administrators after the apparent gun fell to the floor during a fight between students Tuesday at Butler High School.

Parents were told of the incident in a letter.

“Two students engaged in a fight in a classroom today during a class,” the letter stated. “During the altercation, students saw a weapon drop to the floor.”

The Richmond County School System didn’t address what kind of weapon it was, but a video on Facebook showed what appeared to be a gun.

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Administrators and Richmond County School System police responded immediately and secured the school for about 45 minutes while police investigated, parents were told.

The student was taken into custody and the incident was addressed following the Code of Student Conduct and Discipline.



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Augusta, GA

Police arrest suspect in Grovetown apartment complex shooting

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Police arrest suspect in Grovetown apartment complex shooting


GROVETOWN, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A suspect has been arrested in connection to an apartment complex shooting in Grovetown, officials announced Wednesday morning.

Isaiah Bautista, 20, of Augusta, was located near Windsor Spring Road and Meadowbrook Drive, still riding in the suspect vehicle that was observed fleeing the scene of the earlier shooting, Grovetown Police Department says.

Bautista had a firearm at the time of his arrest and had multiple outstanding felony warrants through both Richmond County and Reidsville, Ga., police say.

Bautista was transported to the Charles B. Webster Detention Center on the outstanding warrants.  Additional warrants will be secured by Grovetown Investigators for his charges regarding tonight’s shooting.

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This investigation continues as investigators are working to identify the second suspect.

The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office assisted in apprehending Bautista.

The Grovetown Police Department says they received a 911 call Tuesday at 5:02 p.m. about a shooting at the 1000 block of Joiner Circle in Joiner Crossing Apartments in Grovetown.

Police Chief Jamey Kitchens told us he was on the scene around 5:34 p.m.

When officers arrived they discovered a male victim suffering from a gunshot wound to the upper chest.

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Officials say the victim was conscious when they arrived and is in a local hospital in surgery. He does not appear to have life-threatening injuries.

He tells us two unknown males entered the apartment, and one of the suspects fired several rounds hitting the victim once.

Officials say they responded Tuesday afternoon to Joiner Crossing Apartments in Grovetown.
Officials say they responded Tuesday afternoon to Joiner Crossing Apartments in Grovetown.(WRDW)

Officials used local cameras and doorbell cameras to capture the suspects fleeing on foot to a nearby vehicle and exiting the complex.

One of the suspects was wearing a mask and both were wearing dark-colored hoodies.

Multiple people were in the home at the time, including an infant who was within a few feet of the victim when he was shot. No other parties were injured.

They have a loose vehicle description and several leads are being pursued, according to Kitchens.

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Sean McKenzie

The victim was not a resident of the home where the incident occurred.

Kitchens wants the community to know that there is no danger to the community and that this appears to be a targeted attack.

A witness said she saw 17 police cars on the scene around 6 p.m. and that it appeared officers were searching up and down some nearby railroad tracks.

Police were clustered around one apartment in particular. The door was open and crime scene tape hung outside the entry.

Butler High School, Augusta, Ga.

Around 6:30 p.m., police brought out a child car seat and a diaper bag. The significance of those items wasn’t clear.

The incident comes amid an outbreak of violent crime that’s claimed about 200 lives in nearly three years across the CSRA.

The crime outbreak has affected communities large and small, but as the biggest city in the region, Augusta has been hit especially hard.

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Authorities have blamed much of the problem on gangs.

We are working to learn more information about the incident.



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