50-year-old shot dead in his home on Highland Avenue
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - A man was killed early Thursday in a shooting on Highland Avenue, the latest victim in an outbreak of violent crime with a toll that’s nearing 200 in a little over two years across the CSRA.
In what Richmond County Coroner Mark Bowen is calling a homicide, he identified the victim as Chavious Kimmerlin, 50.
At 7:13 am, deputies say they responded to the 500 block of Highland Avenue to investigate a report of gunshots.
Upon arrival, deputies say they found Kimmerlin, who had suffered at least one gunshot wound.
Kimmerlin was pronounced dead on the scene at 8 a.m., according to Bowen.
He lived at the home where he was found.
An autopsy will be conducted, the coroner says.
Until about 11:45 a.m. when the scene was cleared by officers, yellow crime tape surrounded a white house at 544 Highland Ave. near Royal Street.
The front door was open and deputies were going in and out, with a marked Richmond County Sheriff’s Office car and three unmarked cars in the turning lane in front of the house on Highland Avenue.
COVERAGE FROM THE SCENE OF SLAYING:
Several investigators came out of the house with clear bags possibly containing evidence.
Neighbors were shocked by the slaying.
They’re left with a lot of questions, and many do not want to go on camera. But they wanted you to hear from them that they still feel safe in their neighborhood.
“Everybody is nice and kind. They always wave, I wave back. I talk to them,” said a neighbor who wished to remain anonymous. “Real nice, close neighborhood. Everybody gets along.”
Those who live in the area are questioning what happened and why it happened.
“We’re in some tough times now and we got to come together. If we don’t, it’s gonna get bad,” said the neighbor.
He just didn’t expect it to be at his front door, but he wanted to tell us he doesn’t feel any different about his neighborhood.
“Just one of those things that happened. Some stuff you can’t control. You can’t live in fear. You got to go with every day just about your normal business,” said the neighbor.
We spoke to several other neighbors who said they did not hear or see anything around the time of the incident.
19-year-old arrested in Augusta shooting that injured 2 people
A 19-year-old has been arrested in connection to a shooting that injured 2 people in March.
ONGOING VIOLENCE
Violent crime outbreak: More than 180 killed in a little over 2 years
- The shooting comes amid a two-year outbreak of violent crime that’s claimed more than 180 lives across the CSRA.
- Cities large and small have been affected on both sides of the Savannah River. But as the largest community in the region, Augusta has been hit especially hard.
- Authorities have blamed much of the problem on gangs.
When he learned what happened, he was shocked.
“Oh, my God. Are you serious?” he said.
He says he lives a couple hundred feet from where the shooting happened.
He said he walks the area every day and wants to know if it’s safe for him to do so moving forward.
A woman who works at the Wing Express across the street said the victim was just there last night getting food.
“It’s scary out here,” she said. “I just come into work every day and pray I make it back to my car.”
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