Augusta, GA
‘I could have died that night’: Downtown shooting spawns chaos
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – When gunfire broke out in downtown Augusta early Saturday, it was a scene of “chaos,” witnesses said.
Around 1:15 a.m., there was a gunfight on the sidewalk at 10th and Broad streets, and one of the gunmen fired into a crowd on the sidewalk, authorities said. The gunman was shot by deputies and two other people were wounded.
None of the injuries were life-threatening.
But it was a scary experience for people in nearby businesses.
A witness described the chaos that erupted when the gunfire started.
He was at a nearby bar and said everyone started running when they heard what sounded like automatic gunfire.
“Once the club starts rushing to one side, you leave,” Phil Ramey said. “It’s almost like a big wave you feel it happen real quick.”
He was at Garden City Social when it happened.
“I went over to Garden City, in Garden City, vibing, enjoying the night. And next thing you know, you hear bullet shots coming through, and everyone sprints from the back to the front. Drinks are spilled. It’s a little bit chaotic,” he said.
“I little bit of screaming,” he said. “Everybody’s rushing to the front. It’s a small doorway, so I don’t think anybody got trampled, but people were pushing and shoving and elbows are being thrown – you know, kind of chaos. Chaos.”
He said when they got outside, the scene was more calm, and much of the attention seemed to be focused across the street in front of Solè restaurant.
Deputies were keeping people from walking in front of the business, he said.
“The cops were moving pretty quickly, trying to get everybody out,” he said. “But people like to linger. They like to kind of see what’s going on, so that’s kind of the vibe I got.”
He returned to the area on Saturday morning and was surprised to see the scene was still active with law enforcement.
“I showed up today and there’s cops out here still and yellow tape, so it must have went down pretty seriously,” he said Saturday morning.
A pair of friends told News 12 they were in Solè when it happened.
One said it was nothing but chaos. They said they never heard shots, just screaming.
People hid under tables and shoved one another trying to get out.
When they finally got outside, they saw several men in black ski masks, they said.
They didn’t know if they were the shooter or affiliated with the shooter, but their only thought was to run.
“It was just everyone rushing, like the manager was getting us out of there. And, yeah, there was this man. He was just telling us we need to get out. And, like, literally pushing us out just to get to safety,” Joshua Harris said. “I just know there was, like, a lot of screaming and such, police swarming everywhere, like I heard it out in the distance. It was just cars everywhere.”
Amy Sparent described seeing someone limping and holding an apparently injured area of his body as he walked.
“That’s when we just kind of like ran around the side,” she said. “We kind of did a circle of the building because we really didn’t know what to do.”
Like others, Harris and Sparent described hearing what sounded like hundreds of shots.
On the sidewalk in front of Solè on Saturday morning, there were shoes that had come off people’s feet as well as jewelry that had been dropped in the rush to get away.
“Nobody knows where it came from,” witness Alonzo Butler said.
He said he saw people getting carried away after being shot.
“And I’m pretty sure they had nothing to do with it,” he said.
He had mixed emotions.
“What I felt was anger, and I was disappointed,” he said.
Like others, he described many gunshots.
“The rate of fire was so rapid,” he said.
Hours after the shooting, Butler said he was happy to be alive.
“I could have died that night,” he said.
Although many people came to the location Saturday morning to see what was going on, some were reluctant to talk with News 12 about what they knew. Some were hugging each other.
However, a young woman said her two brothers were shot. She said 18-year-old Amazing Brigham and 23-year-old Seven Whitfield were taken to a hospital. Whitfield has been released from the hospital and is not a suspect. Brigham, she says, has not been released.
Brigham’s mother told News 12 she hadn’t been able to see her son but authorities told her he was stable.
PHOTO GALLERY:
It wasn’t a deadly incident, since Richmond County Coroner Mark Bowen says he wasn’t involved.
But it easily could have been, considering the number of rounds fired – and it happened just three days after Richmond County public safety agencies gathered for a symposium on preparing for active-shooter incidents and other potential mass casualties.
The incident is among the latest in an outbreak of deadly violence that’s claimed more than 150 lives across the CSRA in a little over two years.
The outbreak has affected communities large and small on both sides of the Savannah River, but as the largest city in the region, Augusta has been hit especially hard.
Authorities have blamed much of the problem on gangs.
Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
Two Augusta-area Walmarts are among 13 Georgia locations that the retail giant plans to remodel and modernize in 2026.
In the past five years, the company said it has spent $961.5 million to upgrade its stores statewide.
Now, the company plans to change store layouts and services in its Augusta and Grovetown locations to make shopping faster and more convenient.
The locations are the Augusta Walmart Supercenter at 3338 Wrightsboro Road, near Augusta Mall, and the Grovetown Walmart Neighborhood Market at 5303-A Wrightsboro Road, where Wrightsboro and Harlem-Grovetown roads meet.
The Augusta location has been undergoing renovations since last fall.
The stores, when completely renovated, will include updated pharmacies offering vaccines, free delivery and clinical services such as basic health screenings and same-day testing for strep, the flu and COVID-19. Vision Centers also will be redesigned for improved privacy.
Also, computer apps will help customers better navigate stores, scan products’ prices and find exclusive app-only shopping deals.
Augusta, GA – Entered into rest Sunday, April 19, 2026. Mr. James Byron Duncan, 80, was the loving husband of Estelle Mulherin Duncan as well as devoted father, doting grandfather, and lifelong friend to many.
Byron was born and raised in Augusta, GA, the son of W.B. and Kathleen Duncan. After graduating from Butler High School in 1965, Byron’s kind heart called him into Social Work. He earned his Bachelor of Sociology from Augusta College in 1969. After 34 years of dedicated service to the State of Georgia, Byron retired in 2003 as Director of Jefferson County Family and Children Services. He devoted his life wholeheartedly to both service to others and dedication to his family, working in the tough field of social work while remaining a fiercely loving, spirited and unwaveringly passionate man.
His deepest commitments were to his wife, children, granddaughters, siblings, church, the Knights of Columbus and the Georgia Bulldogs.
Byron was deeply rooted in his faith and community. He was an active member of St. Mary on the Hill Catholic Church, where he had served as an usher, Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, and finance committee member. He was also a proud member of the Knights of Columbus, Patrick Walsh Council 677 and Assembly 174, the Irish American Heritage Society and the Rotary Club of Louisville, GA. A true Georgia Bulldog at heart, Byron never missed an opportunity to cheer for his Dawgs, whether they were playing football, basketball, baseball or any other sport. He loved the simple joys of life – days at the beach, Jimmy Buffett, beach music and shagging, and a house full of family and friends. For many years, Byron delighted young and old alike by donning the red suit and playing Santa Claus at various events as well as visiting the classrooms at St. Mary on the Hill Catholic School as St. Nicholas.
Byron possessed the gift of gab! He never met a stranger and could often be observed enthusiastically carrying on a deep conversation with old friends or a stranger he just met on the street. No conversation with him was brief!
Family meant everything to him. He is survived by his beloved wife of 40 years, Estelle Mulherin Duncan; his children Sean M. Duncan (Jennifer), Matthew M. Duncan and Megan E. Duncan; his bonus daughter, Allison Crow (Joe), and his treasured grandchildren Riley, Emma and Harper Duncan, who brought him endless joy. He is also survived by his brother Keith Duncan; sisters Sheryl Werrick and Marcia Golden; brothers-in-law Dr. Joe Mulherin, Robert Gibson and Tom King; sister-in-law Janet M. Gibson; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, April 24, 2026, at 1:00 P.M. at St. Mary on the Hill Catholic Church with Fr. Mark Ross as celebrant. Interment will follow at Westover Memorial Park. A Rosary service will be held Thursday evening at 6:00 P.M., followed by visitation from 6:30 until 8:00 P.M. at Thomas Poteet & Son.
Memorial contributions may be made to Aquinas High School, 1920 Highland Ave., Augusta, GA 30904 or St. Mary on the Hill Catholic Church, 1420 Monte Sano Ave., Augusta, GA 30904 for the Our Faith Our Future Capital Campaign.
Thomas Poteet & Son Funeral Directors, 214 Davis Road, Augusta, GA 30907, (706) 364-8484. Please sign the guestbook at thomaspoteet.com
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – Georgia Gubernational candidate Geoff Duncan made another appearance in Augusta on Monday, speaking at the IBEW Local 1579 on Reynolds Street.
Duncan is one of the three candidates vying for the Democratic nomination. Duncan said when he served as lieutenant governor of the state, he fought to expand access to health care in rural communities. He said if he’s elected, he’ll focus on lowering costs in other areas.
Duncan stopped by NewsChannel 6 ahead of the campaign stop to speak about his plans.
“Look, 90% of Georgians know what they’re talking about when they want to pass commonsense gun legislation like universal background checks, red flag laws, and in-home safe storage laws. As governor, I want to lead the charge, and I want to give political cover to those Republicans that want to do the right thing, build those consensus around those bills,” Duncan said. “I hope to get some of them the cosign that legislation. Because it meets people where they’re at. It’s common sense. Look, I don’t want anybody to ever walk by a television screen and make another excuse for a mass shooting when it could have been stopped. With just common sense laws that are on the books.”
Photojournalist credit: Regynal McKie
-
Sports2 minutes agoSun Valley Poly High’s Fabian Bravo shows flashes of Koufax dominance
-
World14 minutes agoMoldovan oligarch sentenced to 19 years in prison over $1bn fraud
-
New York2 hours agoTrump’s Immigration Crackdown Pervades Long Island Suburbs
-
Detroit, MI3 hours agoChris Simms projects Detroit Lions first-round NFL draft pick
-
San Francisco, CA3 hours agoSan Francisco sets $3.4B price tag for public takeover of PG&E
-
Dallas, TX3 hours agoGame Day Guide: Stars at Wild | Dallas Stars
-
Miami, FL3 hours agoMay a steadying presence as Cards hold off Marlins in Miami
-
Boston, MA3 hours agoTyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe flex in Boston: Takeaways from Celtics-76ers Game 2