Augusta, GA

SWAT team responds to 2 calls in less than 3 hours

Published

2 months ago

January 21, 2026

SWAT team responds to 2 calls in less than 3 hours

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team responded to two separate calls in less than three hours on Tuesday.

Hay Meadow Drive

Along with the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office SWAT BearCat Unit, Richmond County’s SWAT team responded to the 800 block of Hay Meadow Drive in Sims Place Neighborhood at 10:40 p.m.

Deputies say the call originally came in as a domestic incident involving a firearm.

A woman involved was able to escape the residence and leave the area safely, according to deputies.

Officials say the male suspect barricaded himself inside the home with multiple firearms, refused to exit and made threats toward law enforcement officers.

Nearby residences were cleared and residents were asked to temporarily shelter elsewhere for safety reasons.

All entrances to the area were blocked to vehicle and pedestrian traffic until 12:15 a.m. Wednesday

Officials say a trained negotiator communicated with the suspect and remained on the phone with him for one hour.

Deputies say a gunshot was then heard from inside the residence. The SWAT team made entry into the home, where the suspect was located and observed with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The Richmond County Coroner’s Office says Rafael Moreno, 35, was taken to Wellstar MCG, where he was pronounced dead at 2:09 a.m.

An autopsy has been scheduled.

The area was reopened around 12:32 a.m. Wednesday morning. The scene was completely cleared at 4:01 a.m.

Fox Hall Circle

A man accused of threatening to kill deputies was taken into custody after firing shots into the air during a standoff Tuesday night, authorities said.

Richmond County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO) deputies responded about 9 p.m. to reports of shots fired in the 2900 block of Fox Hall Circle.

When deputies arrived, the man came outside the home and allegedly fired multiple rounds into the air, officials said.

According to the agency, during initial phone contact, he threatened to kill deputies.

The RCSO SWAT team was activated and assisted by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) SWAT BearCat armored vehicle team.

“This marks the third SWAT call out in the past week, and each incident has ended peacefully due to the specialized training and equipment that our teams have worked hard to put in place. The immediate response by our deputies and the cooperation from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, supported by our mutual aid agreements, have been essential in ensuring safe outcomes. We are very grateful for the strong partnership between our agencies and the commitment of every deputy involved,” said Sheriff Eugene Brantley.

A drone team provided aerial overwatch while deputies notified nearby residents and advised them to seek shelter or stay in place, authorities said.

After a standoff and with assistance from a neighbor who communicated with an RCSO negotiator, the man exited the home unarmed and was taken into custody, officials said.

Deputies secured the home to ensure no other individuals were inside.

Investigators are obtaining warrants after observing a large number of weapons in plain view, authorities said.

The man was transported to a hospital for evaluation before being taken to the Charles B. Webster Detention Center.

The scene was cleared around 10:30 p.m.

The sheriff’s office says more information will be provided regarding charges when available.

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Augusta, GA

Augusta’s Turpin neighborhood to get affordable homes with $1.85M federal grant

Published

10 minutes ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

Augusta’s Turpin neighborhood to get affordable homes with .85M federal grant

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The historic Turpin neighborhood will soon welcome more affordable homes after Augusta Habitat for Humanity was awarded $1.85 million in federal funding this week.

The grant will fund the construction of at least 12 homes in the area.

“Habitat for Humanity applied for federal funding, and they were awarded the funding,” said District 2 Commissioner Stacy Pulliam.

Reviving a historic community

The Turpin neighborhood was once home to professionals, including educators, doctors, and lawyers.

“These big professionals that lived mostly over this way,” one resident said of the neighborhood’s history.

Pulliam described the area’s former prominence as “its grand days of glory, when it was the place.”

The project brings together city organizers and community partners through the Georgia Initiative for Community Housing, or GICH.

“We have so many partners. We have the Housing Authority on board. We have a representative from the Hub on board,” Pulliam said. “There’s so many great partners at the table that’s helping pull all of this together.”

Federal support and future plans

The project received backing from Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock.

Habitat for Humanity, with support from GICH, focused its application on Turpin Hill intentionally, as officials say the community had been needing to be addressed for years.

With Habitat for Humanity continuing to advocate for more funds, Pulliam said their motivation could lead to additional housing development in the future.

“We keep going and going and going,” she said. “Now we can do 20. Now we can do multifamily. So it’s fueling our fire to get more housing, but not just housing, to clean up the area.”

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Augusta, GA

Trump to sign emergency order to pay TSA agents as Augusta airport preps for golf week

Published

12 hours ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

Trump to sign emergency order to pay TSA agents as Augusta airport preps for golf week

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – President Donald Trump said he will sign an emergency declaration to pay TSA agents, as nearly 500 have quit since the shutdown began.

More than 40 percent of Atlanta’s TSA agents did not show up on Wednesday, leading to long lines at Atlanta’s airport and across the country. It is unclear when President Trump will sign the emergency order. TSA workers will miss their second paycheck Friday.

In a statement on Truth Social, President Trump said, “I am going to sign an Order instructing the Secretary of Homeland Security, Markwayne Mullin, to immediately pay our TSA Agents in order to address this Emergency Situation.”

The president thanked TSA agents. The Department of Homeland Security as a whole will not be funded at this time. The Coast Guard and FEMA are among the agencies still impacted.

If senators do not reach a deal to fund the department on Friday, they are set for a two-week recess.

Augusta airport prepares for tournament week

TSA workers are a concern as tournament week approaches in Augusta. Security and safety are also concerns after a plane collided with a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport.

Augusta Regional Airport and its fire department are working to keep visitors safe as they fly in for tournament week.

William Kovalchuk, a sergeant with the Augusta Airport Fire Department, operates an airport-specific fire truck.

“There’s a ton of traffic and a ton of congestion. This whole ramp area where I showed you guys a little bit ago, it’ll be completely filled with aircraft,” Kovalchuk said.

Tournament week sees the regional airport become a global hub, with flights in from 13 extra cities and more than 200 private planes parked on the tarmac.

Lauren Smith, deputy director of Augusta Regional Airport, said the airport works closely with the FAA during tournament week.

“During that time, we actually work very closely with the FAA to bring in additional controllers,” Smith said.

Extra controllers keep the airspace and runway safe. Enhanced safety measures are in place inside the terminal as well.

“Overall, everyone brings in more staff. The tenants, the rental car agencies, the airlines, the airport itself,” Smith said.

The fire department stages a second station across the airport to cover every flight.

“The manning will be stepped up quite a bit,” Kovalchuk said. “We don’t want to see anything happen, but we’re prepared for it.”

The airport said the average wait time is still less than an hour to get through security during tournament week.

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Augusta, GA

Jefferson County library director named Georgia Library Director of the Year

Published

1 day ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

Jefferson County library director named Georgia Library Director of the Year

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Georgia Library Director of the Year was honored at a ceremony in Jefferson County.

Christina Shepherd received the award and a county proclamation. Jefferson County officials also honored the library board during the ceremony.

“I’m very thankful. I think it’s great for Jefferson County to have this award brought here and bringing light to us,” Shepherd said. “I don’t think I do anything extraordinary that any librarian wouldn’t do, but I just keep doing it. I appreciate it. I’m thankful.”

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