‘My training kicked in’: Sheriff candidate chases shooting suspects
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an argument that turned into a shooting that left one person injured and endangered several others at a Circle K.
And it was witnessed by Richmond County sheriff candidate Clarence “Bo” Johnson, who tried to intervene.
It wasn’t the only shooting over the weekend in Augusta. A 24-year-old man died after a shooting late Sunday in the 300 block of Williamsburg Drive.
The Circle K shooting was reported at 5:15 p.m. Sunday at 3603 Peach Orchard Road.
Authorities say security footage showed a suspect entered the Circle K and began to argue with two people who were shopping.
The altercation continued into the parking lot, authorities say. The victims began to drive away when they stopped behind the suspects.
One of the victims then got out to the vehicle, approached the suspect and continued to argue, authorities say.
The second suspect, the driver, got out of the car with a firearm, deputies say.
As the victims tried to leave the scene, the suspect then fired multiple shots at the car through people who were at the gas pumps, according to authorities.
The two suspects then took off headed north on Peach Orchard Road, authorities say.
Johnson leapt into action.
“I guess my training kicked in. That’s what I’ve been doing for 33 years. What I did wasn’t exceptional by no means,” said Johnson.
Authorities say a male victim, who had been shot at least one time, drove himself to a local hospital, where he was treated for his injuries.
Johnson, a former deputy, is certified by a Georgia law enforcement accreditation agency, which lists him as “active” and “in good standing.”
His latest training was in 2023 for “active shooter response,” according to the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council. Before then, it was 2003, but his training dates back to 1989.
After 10 years of service as a deputy in Richmond County, Johnson spent most of his career as a federal air marshal.
“What surprised me the most is that happened in broad daylight, that far out in south Richmond County. It’s bad. It happens anywhere in Richmond County, but it was kind of unusual to see it that far south,” said Johnson.
The report says Johnson tried to block the suspects’ vehicle from leaving but was unsuccessful. He says he not only followed the suspects as far as Twigg Street in downtown Augusta, but was also relaying information to 911 dispatchers at the same time.
“Just thinking of all the people that were in that parking lot at the time, all of the innocent civilians that were put in jeopardy by that gunfire, you know, just goes to show you how our criminal element in Richmond County has, that they’ve become so brazen that there’s no ability,” said Johnson.
There was also a shooting over the weekend in Washington County. One person was reportedly injured in a shooting early Sunday in Tennille, but the victim couldn’t be found.
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