Augusta, GA
Young murder victims, young suspects: Is there a solution?
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Murder suspects and victims seem to be getting younger and younger, if local cases are any indication.
Just Thursday, Richmond County deputies reported that a 14-year-old had been arrested as the suspect in a murder Sunday at the Olmstead Homes.
And that followed Sunday’s arrest of a 15-year-old as the suspect in the shooting death of a 14-year-old April 20 at the Cedarwood Apartments on Richmond Hill Road in Augusta.
On April 27, a 14-year-old girl was shot to death as she slept at her home off Bayshore Drive in Fairfax.
That same day, a 5-year-old was nearly shot in Allendale while sitting in a car that was shot up.
And just a few days earlier, also in Allendale County, an 11-year-old was injured in a shooting.
Murder often strikes young victims here – like when 8-year-old Arbrie Anthony was killed by during a 2022 drive-by shooting or when 13-year-old Buddy Brown was shot outside his family’s apartment in downtown Augusta in 2023.
It’s all part of a two-year outbreak of violent crime that’s killed more than 150 people across the CSRA on both sides of the Savannah River.
Authorities blame gangs for a lot of the violence.
As a result, the suspects are often young, too.
Law enforcement officials have said solutions will need to come from parents and the community – solutions that don’t happen with just talk but with having boots on the ground every day.
We’ve reported on community resources like the Purpose Center’s Men in Training Program, which aims to partner adults with children to mentor and shape them.
Through May, Steven O’Neil with Augusta Partnership for Children is hosting what he’s calling the Manhood Tour.
Every Wednesday, the tour is hosting sessions at May Park Community Center.
It’s a space where men of all ages gather to support and encourage each other by providing resources and information in an open discussion.
“There’s not enough programs out there for men. And with the things that’s going on in the community today, we feel like that men are most importantly needing these programs.. so we can restructure and change the dynamics and the stereotypes of men today,” said David Mew, Manhood Tour CEO.
It’s designed to be another resource for men in the community to take advantage of reaching their goals, get them on the right path and generate solutions.
They’re doing so with conversations.
“We challenge men in the youth, young males to think differently, think outside of their friend zones, think outside of their neighborhoods, think outside of their communities,” said Mew.
O’Neil says there’s an urgent need in this community in terms of providing resources to young men.
“You’re still in the process of developing as a person, specifically as a man. And so we want to get our youth, particularly our young men, at an early age because we can kind of mold them and kind of guide them in the right direction,” said O’Neil.
Violence is an issue that has a major impact on our community – from schools to home to everywhere.
Manhood Tour Facilitator Corri Gordon said: “We started out in the neighborhoods. And we went from the neighborhood to the schools. We’re going from the schools to the to the courtroom system. So we are now branching out.”
O’Neil says the Manhood Tour meets young men where they are and works with them to instill good, strong foundations for them as they grow in adulthood.
Time will tell whether this is the solution that will finally work.
Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Georgia gubernatorial candidate Geoff Duncan campaigned in Augusta ahead of Election Day, making stops at two churches and meeting with local faith leaders.
The former lieutenant governor visited Good Hope Baptist Church on Cedar Street, where he spoke with the Greater Augusta Interfaith Coalition’s “Music to the Polls” group.
Duncan told us that, if elected governor, he wants to expand Medicaid, pass what he called “common-sense gun legislation,” and create more economic opportunities statewide. He also pointed to affordability concerns impacting families and businesses.
“I want to take $1.7 billion of our state’s fund and wrap it around the axle of poverty,” Duncan said, adding that he wants to lower child care costs and improve temporary assistance programs.
Duncan also stopped at Miles Memorial Church on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
NJ apartment dwellers, renters have these options for help with rent
State and local officials say several programs are designed to help low and moderate-income households stay housed in the face of financial distress.
As rent prices continue to strain budgets, a new study is highlighting where Georgians can save the most by splitting housing costs.
According to a report from SmartAsset, some cities in Georgia offer major savings for renters who choose to live with a roommate.
Here’s what to know.
Where can you save the most in Georgia?
The study ranks Augusta as the top city in Georgia for roommate savings, and No. 6 in the country.
Renters there can save about 45% on monthly rent, or roughly $450 per month, by sharing an apartment.
Here’s how the costs compare in Augusta:
- One-bedroom rent: $1,000
- Two-bedroom rent: $1,100
- Estimated monthly savings with a roommate: $450
Why are roommate savings so high?
With rent prices rising, splitting costs has become one of the easiest ways to cut monthly expenses.
The study shows that sharing rent can significantly reduce housing costs, especially in cities where prices have climbed in recent years.
How does Georgia compare to the rest of the country?
Here’s the top 10 cities in the US for saving with a roomate:
- Cleveland, OH
- Baton Rouge, LA
- Jersey City, NJ
- Memphis, TN
- Boise, ID
- Augusta, GA
- New Haven, CT
- Chattanooga, TN
- Virginia Beach, VA
- Shreveport, LA
Methodology
The study analyzed 100 U.S. cities using rental data from March 2025 to March 2026 from Zumper, comparing one-bedroom rents to half the cost of two-bedroom apartments to estimate savings from sharing with a roommate.
For more information, visit smartasset.com/data-studies/roommate-savings-2026.
Vanessa Johns is the Trending Topics Reporter for the Deep South Connect Team Georgia. Email her at Vcountryman@gannett.com.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Families had the chance to sharpen their money skills at a financial literacy event hosted by local nonprofit Crown Her Mentoring at the Bernie Ward Community Center.
The free event offered resources for all ages, from kids learning the basics to adults planning for their financial future.
Attendees could sit in sessions about budgeting, credit, opening banking accounts and insurance options.
Organizers said the event was designed to make financial education accessible during Financial Literacy Month.
“People need to understand the importance of a checking account, a savings account—how to manage your money. How to invest your money. People need to learn about life insurance,” said Torrecka Davis, organizer.
Crown Her Mentoring will host a mental health awareness event on May 23. Open enrollment for new mentees will begin on May 10.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
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