North Augusta shooting death under investigation

Date: July 18, 2024

A North Augusta man was found fatally shot Wednesday afternoon outside a cell phone business on Edgefield Road in North Augusta, authorities said.

Aiken County deputies responded at 3:14 p.m. Wednesday to 356 Edgefield Road, which is Talk Now Cellular. That is where a 911 caller reported hearing gunfire while inside the store.

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An injured Black male was found by witnesses, laying on the ground between two buildings,” sheriff’s Capt. Eric Abdullah said in a press release. “The victim was pronounced deceased by Aiken County EMS.”

The victim was identified as 27-year-old James L. Wright, Jr., who was pronounced dead on the scene at 3:46 p.m. Wednesday, Coroner Darryl Ables said. He listed the location of the shooting as the 500 block of Edgefield Road.

Victim James L. Wright Jr. (via Facebook)

The North Augusta Department of Public Safety (NADPS) and the Aiken County Coroner’s Office are assisting with this investigation. No suspects have been identified, Capt. Abdullah said.

If anyone has any information on this investigation or any suspects, they are asked to contact the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office at 803-648-6811. Tipsters can also send a tip by going to www.aikencountysheriff.net .

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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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