12 On Your Side Investigates: Crime in downtown Augusta – what the numbers show
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Safety in downtown Augusta has been a hot-button issue spanning multiple law enforcement istrations.
From shootings on Broad Street in broad daylight to late-night fights turned deadly, downtown business owners are pleading for change.
A heat map of shootings and homicides in downtown Augusta from 2019 to 2025 shows how widespread these incidents are.
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The sheriff’s office is increasing deputies in the area, specifically at night to keep families safe. The goal is to collaborate with these business owners.
We worked to learn what’s behind these marks and how often violent crime is really happening in downtown Augusta.
And there’s a new sheriff in town, pledging to clean up the streets.
12 On Your Side Investigates went through the city’s crime database, and we’re breaking down crime in downtown Augusta. – a problem resulting in scenes neighbors say they’ve seen far too often.
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Scenes like shattered glass, bullet holes in windows and memorials for those lost to senseless violence.
A shooting in the heart of downtown last year felt like a tipping point.
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From 2019 to 2025, we’ve seen 10 homicides downtown. The numbers are flat across the board, with no real increase or decrease.
The most we saw were two homicides in one year, and almost all of them happened between the hours of 1 a.m. and 4 a.m.
At least three of the killings happened in the 700 block of Broad Street, near the Augusta Common.
Buddy Brown, 13, was shot in 2023 after going downstairs to pick up his DoorDash food at the Richmond Summit Apartments.
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In 2022, Percy Johnson was shot and killed nearby on Broad Street, and just this year, Quincy Fields was shot and killed at 3 a.m. in the same area.
A couple of blocks away, and just recently, Tracy Waddell was shot and killed while two people tried to rob him.
We also looked specifically at shootings that happened in downtown Augusta.
Since 2019, we’ve found 23 shootings occurred. There is a spike in shootings in both 2021 and 2023. 2021 saw seven, and 2023 saw five.
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Since 2019, we found most of the shootings happened between midnight and 3 a.m. – most of them stemming from fights in those areas.
Almost a year ago, cop lights lit up downtown, and police tape blanketed cars after two people opened fire on a busy sidewalk.
12 On Your Side found that Augusta’s busiest street, Broad Street, saw the most shootings.
At least 19 of the 23 shooting incidents were listed as happening on Broad Street.
We know Sheriff Eugene Brantley and his new istration are increasing patrols downtown this summer in hopes of limiting crime.
Over the past several years, we’ve heard from frustrated business owners about crime in downtown Augusta, and they tell us they’re excited for what’s to come and have always held the opinion that downtown is a safe place to be.
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