Chaos erupted at Augusta Mall on Thursday when gunfire sent shoppers and employees scrambling for safety.
The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office responded promptly to reports of shots fired at approximately 3:38 p.m., rushing to the mall on Wrightsboro Road. Deputies discovered one male victim with gunshot wounds, and he was transported to a local hospital, where he is reported to be in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries. His name was not released.
This is the second shooting at the mall in the past three months.
On Thursday, eyewitness accounts flooded social media platforms, providing harrowing details of the Fourth of July violence. Nathan Guenot, who was inside Build-A-Bear at the time of the shooting, described hearing initial gunshots followed by urgent alerts from store employees. He and his wife evacuated through emergency exits, joining a mass exodus of terrified shoppers.
Nancy Summers, who had just picked up her daughter from JCPenney moments before the chaos unfolded, expressed shock and relief that her daughter escaped harm. Summer Lee recounted her experience from inside a bookstore, where the abrupt sound of gunfire prompted immediate flight to safety.
Jenny Eubanks’ message through a business alert system urged all within Augusta Mall to seek shelter, highlighting the ongoing danger posed by an armed and still-at-large suspect.
Mike Smith’s emotional account underscored the fear and confusion that spread through the mall during the lockdown.
“Very frightening situation,” he wrote on Facebook. “Never been more afraid.”
Smith described how what began as a birthday shopping trip for his daughter abruptly turned into a fight for survival. After hours of tense confinement, they were eventually escorted out by security, shaken but unharmed physically.
Law enforcement are continuing to investigate the incident, focusing on identifying the perpetrator and understanding the circumstances that led to the violence. As authorities worked to restore order, the incident prompted discussions about mall security and safety protocols in public spaces.
The shooting follows similar chaos that erupted on April 28 and caused the mall’s shutdown. In that case, three suspects were linked to a shooting inside Dillard’s that left a local man with gunshot wounds to his back and hand.
Tybrea Nelson, 24, was arrested right away while authorities later identified Kay-Sean Nelly, 20, and convicted felon Samoney Tanksley, 26, as two additional suspects in the April shooting.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
