AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – One man has died and another is in jail after a shooting nearly a week ago in Augusta.

Brandon Johnson, 34, was shot at least once in his home in the 3600 block of Madrid Drive on Sunday and taken to Doctors Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 6:35 p.m. Friday.

Another resident of the home, Mark Johnson, 30, has been arrested and charged in the shooting, which happened around 7 a.m. Sunday.

After the shooting was reported Sunday morning, deputies say they found Mark Johnson in the backyard of the home as he was leaving the house.

Deputies found the victim with a gunshot wound in the hallway of the home.

Deputies say a witness was kneeling over the victim and holding a towel on the victim’s chest.

The witness told deputies Mark Johnson shot the victim in the chest due to an argument, according to an incident report.

The witness told deputies the victim was intoxicated and had been turning multiple switches on and off in the home. Mark Johnson became upset and confronted the victim while he was in the hallway, according to deputies’ report.

The witness stated she was sitting in the living room when she heard a loud noise and saw the victim fall to the floor, deputies say.

Mark Johnson was arrested on charges of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during a crime, according to jail reports.

The charges had not been upgraded as of early Saturday.

An autopsy has been scheduled for the victim.

Despite the victim and suspect having the same last name, deputies classified the incident as “aggravated assault-nonfamily.”

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AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Augusta Parks and Recreation Department has announced the Ed McIntyre Riverwalk is now officially reopened to the public following recent debris removal efforts from Hurricane Helene, according to a statement on the Augusta, Georgia Government Facebook page.

Residents and visitors are encouraged to enjoy the scenic path and the surrounding areas.

However, please avoid the playground section, which remains closed off and temporarily closed for safety reasons.

Repairs and inspections are ongoing in that area, and public access will be restored as soon as it is deemed safe.

We appreciate everyone’s patience during this time.

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AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Business owners in downtown Augusta shared safety concerns with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday.

The sheriff’s office says they’re increasing deputies in the area, specifically at night to keep families safe.

The goal is to collaborate with these business owners.

Sheriff Brantley says having these face-to-face conversations is key when it comes to ensuring safety for those who live, work and visit downtown.

When you’re talking about businesses – homes – apartments – these are places people are proud of .

“At the end of the day, if you take good care of your house and you have a presence in your house, your house will be respected,” said Ernest Jones, CEO, Realty One Group Visionaries.

Many look at downtown Augusta as home.

“And I think that’s what Richmond County authorities are doing, they’re taking and having a presence in the downtown area, so this space will be respected,” said Jones.

Having face-to-face conversations is a start.

“And also to let them know that we want to know when there are concerns of theirs and make sure that we hear them and their concerns are being met with actions,” said Sheriff Brantley.

It’s something many business owners have asked for, going back several years.

“The change already is good with everything else, it just takes time. So really it just. I’m looking forward to how it, when it all comes down and the smoke settles, ‘cause it’s still new. Five months into the year, it’s still all new. A year from now, two years from now, I mean, who’s to tell? Downtown’s gonna be great,” said Adrian Estrada, owner, The Loft.

Safety is the key to making downtown thrive. “Like I said, we still have some things we have to tweak and work on to continue to make downtown safer and make people want to come and enjoy what we have to offer downtown,” said Brantley.

The sheriff’s office downtown safety plan is already in place.

During the day, they have community safety officers out to observe and report any potential issues while assisting business owners with their needs.

At night, the sheriff says they have one deputy per block on foot patrolling, they have a mix of marked and unmarked cars out as well.

However, he says they are prepared to add more staff as needed, especially as summer events start soon.

“We will have a mobile command staff that will be available that deals with large events and event staff,” said Brantley. “It will be a host of traffic crime suppression and different specialized units working in the area to make sure we have enough coverage to be able to deal with any problems that may arise.”

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