AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – The Richmond County Coroner’s Office is investigating the death of a homeless man who was found in a wooded area Friday evening.

The Coroner’s Office responded to the I-520 east bound ramp at Windsor Spring Road in reference to a deceased person.

The Coroner’s Office states the victim was pronounced dead around 5:45 p.m.

According to officials, the death is considered suspicious.

Their name will be released once a positive ID has been made, according to the Coroner.

An autopsy has been scheduled.

Count on NewsChannel 6 for more details as they become available.

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – The University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents announced that Dr. Russell Keen will be the next president of Augusta University, beginning July 1.

Last week, the USG Board of Regents named Keen as the sole finalist for the position. That decision was finalized today.

In a statement released by the university, Keen said his priority is to focus on Georgia’s need to provide skilled graduates to enter the workforce.

“I truly look forward to serving Augusta University as its next president,” said Keen. “I am excited to expand the focus Augusta University has had on cutting-edge research and innovation. We will prioritize elevating a culture of excellence and creating an unparalleled student experience, while promoting critical thinking and student engagement.”

Keen’s appointment comes as Dr. Brooks Keel will retire after serving as AU’s president for nine years, part of his four decades-long career in higher education.

“Russell has the experience and institutional knowledge for the job, and that will be critical as we look to increase Augusta University’s impact in Georgia and beyond,” said USG Chancellor Sonny Perdue. “I’m looking forward to watching Dr. Keen push AU toward being one of the best research universities in the nation as it continues to emphasize student success.”

Keen is a native of the Augusta area and has worked in USG over 22 years.

Augusta University’s first day of classes for the Fall 2024 semester begins Aug. 14.

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – A week after the shooting on Broad Street, we talked to people in the community about how they felt about downtown.

“People shouldn’t be scared to come downtown. Like if we can get Richmond County to work with us instead of against us, we can make it better,” said Chris Mccarthy, the General Manager of Joe’s Underground.

Mccarthy is the General Manager of a popular bar and restaurant. He says that while the area is not bad, there is room for improvement.   
 
“There are pop-up booze and food vendors all over the place. We have to go through; we have to jump through 3 hoops to have ourselves here, and you’ve got these cats just sitting up girls out on the side of the street, and they are selling booze out of coolers unregulated. That is the problem,” said Mccarthy.

In an effort to ease minds, Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson released a statement reminding parents that most restaurants downtown stop serving food at 10 p.m. Also, minors  MUST be accompanied by an adult if they are out past that time.

“There’s no place for a kid to be If you’re not 21. You can’t get into any of the businesses. You have no business being down here,” Mike Thomas, a patron.

Some businesses were shut down the next day because the road was blocked. People who work in the area say they wanted more information the following day because they had to close their doors.

“I don’t know what it’s going to take to fix it, but I do know it is a big problem,” said Kat Duscio, who works at Barkery. Okay, cool, great. Get more cops down here; that’s nice. But let’s make sure that they have the proper training and tools and know how to do their job appropriately and actually make people feel safe.”

That’s part of the Mayor’s plan for the downtown area. In his statement, the Mayor says that starting tonight, there will be an increase in security, patrols, and additional help from the Georgia State Patrol to keep downtown safe.

“It’s not going to stop until we as a community come together,” said Kasim, Security of Peddle Pub. “We have to come together, the cops and the citizens. We all have to come together. It’s not black or white. It’s not cop versus citizen; it’s us.”