Augusta, GA
Downtown Augusta shooting stirs concern among business owners
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – After a gunbattle in downtown Augusta sent bullets into a crowd early Saturday, some business owners are concerned.
Two people were injured and the gunman was shot by deputies.
And while officials say it could have been far worse, could it hurt business downtown?
On Saturday night, less than 24 hours after the shooting, downtown was busy and parking spaces were hard to find.
People were still walking around and most of them seemed unbothered by the shooting.
Still, people told us it wasn’t quite as busy as a typical Saturday night.
DOWNTOWN SHOOTING: TEAM COVERAGE
Popular night spots had people inside, but they were by no means crowded.
Everyone was being super-cautious, said Airrie Henschell, a server told us at Mellow Mushroom.
Her pockets were taking a hit, too.
“Bills are not getting paid,” she said.
And while some businesses were seeing a negative effect, other businesses are still unsure.
“I really can’t tell,” said Aris Reed, co-owner of Lenox on Tenth.
“I can’t say that we’ve seen too much of an influx or an effect on our business,” she said Saturday.
“I know it’s bad for the reputation of downtown Augusta,” she said.
The shooting is not a reflection of Augusta, though, she said.
“It’s very welcoming,” she said, calling it a “really great community.”
Still, the downtown community is left shattered like the windows the bullets took out early Saturday.
“The one thing that we’re kind of disheartened about is the reputation of downtown Augusta just gets smeared when occurrences like this happen,” she said.
PHOTO GALLERY:
She believes that regardless of what happened Saturday morning, Augusta is still great.
“You know, don’t let a few bad apples ruin the bunch,” she said.
“This is a great city. This is a great location.”
Some business owners expressed concerns directly to Sheriff Richard Roundtree on Saturday.
When Roundtree held a news conference to discuss the shooting, 20 to 25 of them showed up and peppered him with complaints and questions, especially about young people loitering. One told the sheriff that he doesn’t get a response from deputies when he calls 911.
The sheriff said he’d prefer to discuss that in a different setting, since his news conference was held specifically to discuss the shooting.
Mayor Garnett Johnson said he’s heard from business owners that they want a safer downtown, and he pledged to make that happen. He said he asked Gov. Brian Kemp for assistance, and Kemp pledged to send Georgia State Patrol troopers and Georgia Department of Natural Resources officers to bolster downtown patrols.
On Saturday night, there did seem to be a law enforcement presence on Broad Street.
News 12 drove along the thoroughfare between 10 and 11 p.m. Saturday, and we saw:
- A white unmarked Chevy Impala with blue lights on parked in front of Dirty Boots.
- A deputy parked in front of the Firestone Auto Shop.
- A Richmond County Sheriff’s Office car parked at Broad and 12th streets.
- Some patrol cars in front of Smoke Shop.
- A Georgia State Patrol car; the trooper had a woman in handcuffs.
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, Mikel Hannah-Harding, Gary Pikula, Steve Byerly and Lois White.
Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
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Madison Lovelle posts videos online while going through and cleaning her childhood home after her father died.
Housing costs are often the biggest Georgians deal with every month, so it’s important to try and save money where possible.
Last week, WalletHub released its ranking of the most affordable cities to buy a home. It analyzed 300 cities based on 10 metrics, with the biggest weight going to housing affordability and cost per square foot.
Best city to buy a home in Georgia?
Augusta ranked the highest among Georgia cities, ranking 8th overall and 3rd best in the midsized cities list.
Augusta real estate prices
According to Zillow, as of March, the median list price for a house in Georgia is $205,000 with a median sale price of $187,283. About 57% of sales are under the list price.
The average rent, as of April, is $1,365 per month.
Augusta cost of living
The MIT Living Wage Calculator reports the hourly pay needed to support yourself and/or your family, assuming full-time employment. For Richmond County (Augusta), it’s $20.31 for one adult, $28.16 for a two-adult household with one working, and $14.08 for a two-adult household with both working.
Children obviously increase the wage needed. Depending on how many adults are working, the necessary pay figures may increase by up to $13 for just one child, with more needed for additional children.
Worst city to buy a home in Georgia?
The Georgia city with the lowest ranking on the list overall was Sandy Springs. However, with 300 cities, landing at No. 151 doesn’t make it nearly the worst in the nation. Sandy Springs was No. 56 on the small cities list.
What are the best cities to buy a home in US?
- Flint, MI
- Detroit, MI
- Surprise, AZ
- Yuma, AZ
- Akron, OH
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Memphis, TN
- Augusta, GA
- Indianapolis, IN
- Cleveland, OH
Miguel Legoas is a Deep South Connect Team Reporter for USA Today. Find him on Instagram @miguelegoas and email at mlegoas@gannett.com.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – Senate candidate Derek Dooley made several visits to the area on Friday.
Dooley had stops in both Lincolnton and Augusta on May 29 and was joined by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp for his “Georgia First” tour. He spoke about one of the issues he finds in politics.
“But the other piece of it is the corruption. People sit on these committees. They have access to information that none of us have. And then you look up 2 or 3 years down the road and their wealth is just skyrocketing,” Dooley said. “You’re outperforming every investor out there. And I think it’s shameful. I think it erodes trust. It’s something that I will never do.”
“Politicians were out there getting paid. They were coming back home. They’re raising money and campaigning while the government shut down,” Kemp said. “What Derek’s saying, if he’s up there, we’re not going to allow legislators to get paid. We’re going to take away their benefits. That way, you won’t ever have another shutdown again.”
Dooley is facing Congressman Mike Collins in a runoff for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate.
The winner of the Republican nomination will face incumbent Sen. Jon Ossoff in November.
Photojournalist credit: Regynal McKie
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A man has been arrested after he was accused of hitting two women at Piedmont Hospital in Augusta.
The incident happened on May 14 around 12 a.m.
According to arrest warrants, Bruce Bland struck one victim with a closed hand several times in the face. Bland also threw a garbage can at the victim, hitting her in the head.
The warrant states the victim suffered a bruise on her face.
Bland also hit another victim with a closed hand on her mouth, according to the warrants. She suffered swelling and a bruise on her mouth.
Bland is charged with battery and simple battery, according to the warrants. Both charges are misdemeanors.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
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