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.
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.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Augusta Dream Center is seeing more families turn to its food pantry this summer as children lose access to school lunches.
Organizations like the Augusta Dream Center see a surge in families who relied on school lunches during the academic year, according to Hallie Kohan, assistant director.
“We see a lot more families that have young kids who are in need that simply don’t have those meals they are normally getting,” Kohan said. “We see an influx of families that come through.”
Demand is up, but the food supply is not keeping pace.
“Right now we are having some food distribution issues so while we are seeing an increase in families, we are seeing a decrease in the amount of food coming through our doors,” Kohan said.
The center is asking the community to host food drives or donate kid-friendly items such as mac and cheese and oatmeal.
Every Sunday the Dream Center opens its doors for a hot meal, serving as many as 120 people.
“Families can come in and get their hot meal. They sit down, it’s dignified, it’s a diner,” Kohan said. “It’s a welcoming experience for kids to come in and not feel like they are in need.”
No paperwork is required to receive help.
“Just because you think someone is in a great situation, in today’s economy you never know,” Kohan said. “It could be your neighbor, mom, or best friend.”
The Augusta Dream Center food pantry is open Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to noon and Thursdays from 5 to 6 p.m. Hot meals are served Sundays from 5 to 6 p.m.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
-
Dallas, TX13 seconds agoDallas International Piano Competition brings finalists June 23
-
Miami, FL7 minutes agoWhere to watch San Francisco Giants vs Miami Marlins: TV channel, start time, streaming for June 20
-
Boston, MA10 minutes agoDuck parades, outdoor drinking, and Gronk in a kilt. Here’s how Friday’s World Cup festivities unfolded. – The Boston Globe
-
Denver, CO15 minutes agoRockies ride Kyle Freeland’s gem, Braxton Fulford’s double to 4-3 win over Pirates
-
Seattle, WA22 minutes agoSuarez’s no-hit try ends on Naylor double in seventh, but Boston still tops Seattle
-
San Diego, CA25 minutes agoNeymar expected to return from right calf injury and play for Brazil in World Cup against Scotland
-
Milwaukee, WI30 minutes agoToday’s Summerfest schedule and picks: Saturday, June 20
-
Atlanta, GA37 minutes agoAtlanta Ballet Returns to the Fox Theatre to Present Cinderella for One Weekend Only This Fall
