Chaos broke out at Augusta Mall on Tuesday afternoon when a fight escalated into gunfire, leaving one person dead and sending shoppers fleeing for safety. A 16-year-old boy has been charged with murder in a shooting that was captured on video by witnesses and mall surveillance cameras.
Richmond County Sheriff Eugene Brantley confirmed during a press conference at the mall that the incident began as a fistfight involving six individuals. “It all started as a fight,” Brantley said. “One of the suspects pulled out a firearm and shot the other.”
The Richmond County Coroner’s Office has identified the victim killed in Tuesday’s Augusta Mall shooting as Devon McClain, a 17-year-old from Augusta. According to Coroner Mark Bowen, McClain was shot at least once and transported by EMS to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 2:40 p.m. An autopsy has been scheduled to determine the exact cause of death.
Authorities have arrested 16-year-old Tyric Kendarius Logan in connection with the fatal shooting. Logan was detained at the scene and transported to the Criminal Investigations Division. He is being charged with murder as an adult. Logan is the same teen listed as a runaway last month on a flyer publicized by the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.
Investigators have also identified and interviewed previously unnamed persons of interest. The investigation is ongoing.
The victim, McClain, is the same individual who was previously charged in connection with a June 2025 shooting in the Harrisburg neighborhood that left two juveniles injured. At the time, he was arrested for aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, after being found with a 10mm handgun.
That incident led to a broader law enforcement crackdown on juvenile violence, including the enforcement of a stricter countywide curfew for minors.
Tuesday’s shooting occurred inside the mall on the lower level near the escalator. Reports of gunfire first came from the area near the American Eagle store. Witnesses said the suspect ran into the nearby Bath & Body Works after shots were fired. Several people reported hearing at least three gunshots, followed by crowds rushing to escape. As deputies arrived, one of the investigators made contact with a man who appeared to have been shot.
Sheriff Brantley confirmed that the individual who was shot later died. “We have one deceased and the family has been notified,” he said.
The initial 911 call was reported as an active shooter situation, prompting a large emergency response and lockdown of the mall. “It was not an active shooter,” Brantley clarified. “It was a fight that ended up in gunfire.”
Multiple agencies responded to the scene, including the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, Richmond County Marshals Office, GBI, FBI, ATF, Columbia County Sheriff’s Office SWAT, mall security, Augusta Fire Department, Central EMS and Richmond County Board of Education police. “All businesses were cleared one by one by our SWAT team and the help of the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team,” Brantley said. “Everyone was evacuated.”
Mall security played a critical role in helping to detain two of the suspects. “With the release of video to us, it allowed us to respond quickly and apprehend two of the culprits,” the sheriff noted. The clothing descriptions provided to investigators also helped in identifying those involved.
Authorities are still working to locate two persons of interest who fled the scene. As of Tuesday evening, the mall remains closed and residents have been urged to avoid the area as the investigation continues.
This latest incident adds to a troubling pattern of violence at the popular shopping center. In July 2024, a man was shot inside the Snipes shoe store in what police described as a targeted attack. Earlier that spring, another person was wounded during a shooting at the Dillard’s department store. And in 2020, a deadly shooting at the mall left one man dead and a bystander injured.
Augusta resident Shannon Sanchez was among those trapped during the chaos. She told reporters she was locked in a store room with others, calling it a “terrible situation.”
Dick’s Sporting Goods employee Annette Prince said she was finally able to leave after being locked down for awhile. “It was scary for sure,” she wrote on Facebook.
Many local residents are again calling on metal detectors for customers and comparing the situation to the old Regency Mall, which shut down after similar violence and other issues.
Resident Richard Bows said, “Augusta mall keeps thinking people will actually pay attention to those ‘No Weapons’ signs. It’s actually scary to know how many people are carrying guns in this mall! This is the 3rd shooting at this mall.. Now there’s even more trauma and pain. Change needs to happen!”
Sheriff Brantley emphasized the seriousness of the situation but stopped short of making broader safety claims. “Anything could be safer than what it is,” he said. “But that is not what I am here to do.”
