Shoppers plead for more security after latest shooting at Augusta Mall
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Local shoppers are now speaking out in the hope of tightening security after a shooting at the Augusta Mall that injured one on Thursday afternoon.
And the mall is offering a response to the incident that was among a rash of shootings that injured dozens of victims across the country on July Fourth.
Dispatchers said the first call came in at 3:38 p.m. to 3450 Wrightsboro Road. The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, Central EMS and the Augusta Fire Department responded.
Once there, deputies found a male who’d been shot. He was taken to a local hospital with injuries that weren’t life-threatening, according to officials.
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Around 4:10 p.m., several people were seen leaving the mall. Deputies were seen getting brown evidence bags out of their patrol cars.
It wasn’t the first – or even the second – shooting at the mall. In April, a gun was brandished during a verbal dispute in the food court.
On Friday afternoon, the mall issued a statement about this latest incident.
“We are extremely disheartened that this targeted act of violence took place at our center,” the statement said. “We take great pride in providing a safe environment where the community can shop and socialize.”
Despite the weapons that have been brought there, the mall says guns aren’t allowed – although the statement doesn’t mention how that’s enforced.
“Because Augusta Mall is private property, we do not permit firearms to be carried by visitors of our center,” the mall said.
“We maintain a robust security system which includes both visible and behind the scenes safety monitoring,” the mall said. “We are working closely with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office as they continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding this incident.”
But many are left on edge after this latest shooting.
“You can’t be comfortable going anywhere anymore. If you don’t have your spouse or your daughters with you, you are just better off staying at home,” said Tanya Burnett, who lives in Augusta.
Chris Mongrue, who also lives in Augusta, said: “I really don’t like to venture too much in this part of Richmond County because of the crime, shootings and stuff.”
Now, the community is asking for change.
“This could be the next Regency mall where people just don’t come, and businesses start to fail because of lack of customers,” said Burnett.
Just after Thursday’s shooting, News 12 saw floods of people running out of the mall and a lot of frustration from shoppers looking for holiday deals.
It’s a situation many say is unforgettable, but unfortunately not surprising.
Rochelle Giet says what seemed to be a typical Fourth of July at the mall quickly turned south.
“I saw people running and screaming already. There are a lot of people running, going to the food court screaming,” said Giet.
Giet says she and 20 other people in Victoria’s Secret had to hide in a storage closet for more than 40 minutes.
She says that moment was an unfortunate wake-up call for her.
Augusta Mall shooting victim is among dozens across U.S. on holiday
Shootings around the Fourth of July killed at least eight people, while other gun violence across the country injured about three dozen people, including one in Augusta.
“I cannot imagine that. Fourth of July. You want to go somewhere because there’s a lot of sales stuff like that. And you are not safe anymore,” said Giet.
Giet says she wishes she doesn’t have to be on high alert while shopping but she has no choice.
“It’s always taped to my mind. It comes to my mind or maybe there is a shooting here again and again,” she said.
It’s a feeling Giet says she hopes more people pay attention to in the future.
“I hope that the security personnel there will be more tightened for their security and especially for keeping the people going inside the mall,” said Giet.
PHOTO GALLERY:
A store manager tells us that several of her employees heard the gunshots. She said she has a plan in place for when incidents like this happen.
She says her store is losing employees over these situations that seem to happen more frequently at the mall.
Officials did not release any information regarding possible suspects.
“It all happened so fast and quickly as I was headed towards Dick’s Sporting Goods,” said a woman who was on scene. “What got me was that they didn’t even evacuate until like 30 to 45 minutes later. Only could imagine how many people did or could have gotten hurt.”
Team coverage by News 12 staff including Lois White, Destiny Bernash, William Rioux, Brionna Law, Julius Evans, Sydney Hood, Gary Pikula, Richard Rogers, Riley Hale and Sarah Lusk.
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