Fights broke out in front of Richmond County deputies early Sunday in downtown Augusta, and videos of the chaos went viral on Facebook.
RCSO Chief of Staff Lewis Blanchard said arrests were made during the overnight fighting on the 800 block of Broad Street. Online videos show fighting and hair-pulling as deputies pulled out batons and handcuffs to handle the unruly crowd, including assistance from Colonel Bo Johnson.
As the videos spread online during Masters Sunday at Augusta National Golf Club, the sheriff’s office released a statement congratulating their team on an outstanding job keeping the community safe downtown.
“Without our proactive patrols and increased presence during the early morning hours—especially around 3:00 a.m.—these types of disturbances have in the past escalated into gunfire,” the statement said. “Recognizing this trend, Sheriff [Gino] Brantley has implemented a strategy of assigning two deputies per block on weekends.”
Authorities say anyone who engages in fighting is promptly arrested, and individuals interfering with law enforcement are also taken into custody when necessary.
“We keep a 16 passenger transport van available as needed,” the RCSO statement continued. “The best advice remains the same: leave at closing time, avoid confrontations, and steer clear of large, chaotic scenes. What may appear to be a minor dispute can quickly turn dangerous in a crowd.”
The names of those arrested have not been released.
