Angry she can’t use tablet at day care, worker threatens to shoot it up

Rashia Copeland is wanted for Terroristic Threats and Acts against Children’s 1st Learning Academy located at 146 Davis Rd., on October 6th, 2023.

Date: October 07, 2023

A young employee of Children’s First Learning Academy in Augusta is being sought by police for allegedly threatening to shoot up the day care.

Rashia Copeland, 21, got upset Friday afternoon when she was caught on her tablet device instead of caring for infants at the Davis Road day care. That was her job. Director Evelyn Young told her it was against policy to be on a device, leading to an argument.

Copeland told her boss she could no longer do the job and was quitting. Young told her to leave, and the suspect allegedly reacted by claiming she would beat up her boss, according to authorities.

“I will beat your a** and then go out to my car and get a gun and shoot up this daycare,” Copeland allegedly said. The statement was heard by all of the employees.

Young had the suspect escorted off the property and locked the doors. An employee headed to lunch a half hour later and realized Copeland had returned to the day care along with her mother and two other vehicles.

That’s when they called the cops, but Copeland fled before Richmond County deputies arrived.

Copeland is wanted for terroristic threats and acts. The suspect is known to frequent the 4000 block of Riverwatch Parkway, authorities said. She is described as 5’5” tall and 190 pounds.

Any information concerning the whereabouts of this subject, please contact Inv. Atterton or any Investigator at the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office at (706) 821-1020 or (706) 821-1003.

The wanted flyer:

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The Author

Greg Rickabaugh is an award-winning crime reporter in the Augusta-Aiken area with experience writing for The Augusta Chronicle and serving as publisher of The Jail Report. He also owns AugustaCrime.com. Rickabaugh is a 1994 graduate of the University of South Carolina and has appeared on several crime documentaries on the Investigation Discovery channel. He is married with two daughters.

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