Neighbors look to build up Richmond County amid crime wave

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - A disturbing trend of shootings continues to grow in the river region, with 14 happening in the past 20 days.

There are some more concerning numbers as we look closer. Of those recent 14 shootings, eight of them have been in Richmond County. Four of those 14 shootings have turned deadly. There are still no arrests in eight of those shootings.

With so many of them happening in Richmond County, people who live in Augusta have noticed. Now some are trying to do something about it.

Twenty-one shootings in 35 days have occurred in Richmond County. While some have shaken the community, new neighbor Shirlonda McCain got inspired.

“That put a fire up under my feet. Because I got a vision for this area,” she said. “When I heard that, I said, ‘Okay, that’s a fireball.’”

McCain owns Peacing Life Together, an organization that helps people get affordable housing.

“I see potential. I see awesome potential for anyone who has the heart to help the individuals who need the help,” McCain said.

She found help in Augusta resident Derek Morgan and contractor Troy Uttke.

“The long-term goal here is to actually build new homes and have people move into the neighborhood. Not as renters, but as invested people into the neighborhood. That makes a very stable neighborhood,” Uttke said.

Morgan lived in this neighborhood back in the 50′s and 60′s. He says a lot of the houses here haven’t been renovated since, and they’re trying to change that.

“We’re trying to get some new updated houses on this street that will, kind of, uplift the neighborhood,” Morgan said.

So far, they’ve updated a few houses in the community, including McCain’s. But they say this is only the beginning, and there are big things to come.

“MLK is a historical area, and it needs to be brought back up,” McCain said. “We’re going to do that. It’s going to take us a little minute, but we’re going to do it.”

McCain says they are looking to start a neighborhood association. She says they’re actually meeting with the Neighborhoods Alliance Association this weekend to discuss the next steps in bringing this community some new life.

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