Augusta, GA
Westside High coach hosts first youth basketball camp
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Summer camps give young athletes the chance to hone their skills, fall in love with a game, and have fun at the same time.
This week Westside Head Basketball Coach Jerry Hunter is hosting his first youth basketball camp.
Westside’s state championship-winning mentality and approach to the game are being passed on to all the young ballers in attendance at the first annual Jerry Hunter Basketball Academy.
“We decided to get out into the community and become a part of the solution. There’s a lot going on now, so coaches in the area, we come out and do something for the kids,” said Hunter.
Aja Richardson, participant, said: “This is my first time going to a basketball camp in the summer. They have a lot to teach us and they’re teaching us all they can in these three days and it’s very nice.”
The main focus of this camp is the fundamentals.
Landen Carpenter, participant, said: “Passing is important, so you know, I know the right passes. When to make them, and mindset is important so I can stay within the game and not get distracted easily or stuff like that.”
Hunter said: “A lot of the time, everything now is kind of ball dominant. So, we try to teach them to share the ball, but more so importantly, to be good teammates and understand the importance of sportsmanship.”
Larry Washington, participant, said: “It’s very fun. I’m meeting a lot of friends here, and learning from people like the coaches here, and they’ve won state championships and it’s great to learn from them.”
It’s not every day you get to pick up a few pointers from a three-time state championship-winning head coach.
Khalon Hudson, Westside alumni, said: “They don’t realize it, and they’re probably not going to realize it until they get older, who this man is, and they’re going to realize, oh my gosh that’s cool. Like, that’s amazing.”
Receiving some advice from a couple of Westside alums who know a thing or two about winning on Georgia’s biggest stage has its bonuses too.
“I know that I was in their shoes once, and I know what I learned from camps like this, and I just know how it made me evolve as a person and as a player both on and off the court,” said Hudson.
Aumauri Tillman, Westside alumni, said: “This type of stuff right here is what keeps us grounded. Just being able to give back and be around these kids as they’re still learning. Understanding that no matter how good I become or how good people think that I am, there’s always things to work on.”
They had a Little Campers vs. Counselors game towards the end of the day too, which was fun for everyone involved.
Carpenter said: “That was fun. They blocked all our shots. It was cool. I enjoyed it!”
Dan Booth: “Are you looking forward to getting some payback tomorrow?”
Carpenter: “Yeah, for sure. I’m dunking on all of them!”
Copyright 2023 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
Augusta, GA
2 young males dead after boat overturns in Screven County
SYLVANIA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Two young males are dead after their boat overturned while fishing, according to the Screven County Sheriff’s Office.
According to a press release, around 12:45 p.m. on Wednesday, emergency services received a call about a boat overturning in a pond off Poor Robin Road.
Upon arrival, deputies spoke with a young adult male who was located at the scene. The male reported he had been in a boat with two other young males fishing when their boat overturned.
The young male was treated for his injuries and released, according to officials.
Additional agencies arrived on the scene including the Screven County Marine Rescue Squadron and several local scuba divers.
“After an extensive 5-hour search, in 46-degree water, the bodies of the remaining two young males were located in the pond,” said Sheriff Norman Royal.
The investigation into the circumstances that led up to these deaths is still ongoing, but no foul play is suspected at this time, according to officials.
Screven County EMS, Screven County Fire, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Effingham County Fire and Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office, also assisted in the response.
Sheriff Royal sends his thoughts and prayers to the families of these two young men and thanks all agencies that assisted and made their recovery possible.
Copyright 2025 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
Augusta, GA
WATCH: Gun comes out during fight at Butler High, video shows
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A weapon was seized by school administrators after the apparent gun fell to the floor during a fight between students Tuesday at Butler High School.
Parents were told of the incident in a letter.
“Two students engaged in a fight in a classroom today during a class,” the letter stated. “During the altercation, students saw a weapon drop to the floor.”
The Richmond County School System didn’t address what kind of weapon it was, but a video on Facebook showed what appeared to be a gun.
Administrators and Richmond County School System police responded immediately and secured the school for about 45 minutes while police investigated, parents were told.
The student was taken into custody and the incident was addressed following the Code of Student Conduct and Discipline.
Copyright 2025 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
Augusta, GA
Police arrest suspect in Grovetown apartment complex shooting
GROVETOWN, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A suspect has been arrested in connection to an apartment complex shooting in Grovetown, officials announced Wednesday morning.
Isaiah Bautista, 20, of Augusta, was located near Windsor Spring Road and Meadowbrook Drive, still riding in the suspect vehicle that was observed fleeing the scene of the earlier shooting, Grovetown Police Department says.
Bautista had a firearm at the time of his arrest and had multiple outstanding felony warrants through both Richmond County and Reidsville, Ga., police say.
Bautista was transported to the Charles B. Webster Detention Center on the outstanding warrants. Additional warrants will be secured by Grovetown Investigators for his charges regarding tonight’s shooting.
This investigation continues as investigators are working to identify the second suspect.
The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office assisted in apprehending Bautista.
The Grovetown Police Department says they received a 911 call Tuesday at 5:02 p.m. about a shooting at the 1000 block of Joiner Circle in Joiner Crossing Apartments in Grovetown.
Police Chief Jamey Kitchens told us he was on the scene around 5:34 p.m.
When officers arrived they discovered a male victim suffering from a gunshot wound to the upper chest.
Officials say the victim was conscious when they arrived and is in a local hospital in surgery. He does not appear to have life-threatening injuries.
He tells us two unknown males entered the apartment, and one of the suspects fired several rounds hitting the victim once.
Officials used local cameras and doorbell cameras to capture the suspects fleeing on foot to a nearby vehicle and exiting the complex.
One of the suspects was wearing a mask and both were wearing dark-colored hoodies.
Multiple people were in the home at the time, including an infant who was within a few feet of the victim when he was shot. No other parties were injured.
They have a loose vehicle description and several leads are being pursued, according to Kitchens.
The victim was not a resident of the home where the incident occurred.
Kitchens wants the community to know that there is no danger to the community and that this appears to be a targeted attack.
A witness said she saw 17 police cars on the scene around 6 p.m. and that it appeared officers were searching up and down some nearby railroad tracks.
Police were clustered around one apartment in particular. The door was open and crime scene tape hung outside the entry.
Around 6:30 p.m., police brought out a child car seat and a diaper bag. The significance of those items wasn’t clear.
The incident comes amid an outbreak of violent crime that’s claimed about 200 lives in nearly three years across the CSRA.
The crime outbreak has affected communities large and small, but as the biggest city in the region, Augusta has been hit especially hard.
Authorities have blamed much of the problem on gangs.
We are working to learn more information about the incident.
Copyright 2025 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
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