Richmond County authorities are investigating the city’s second murder of the day with the Thursday evening shooting death of a teenager on Old McDuffie Road.
Zaire Person, 15, was shot Thursday on the 3400 block of Old McDuffie Road. He was transported to Augusta University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 9:40 p.m. Thursday, Coroner Mark Bowen said.
“Investigators learned that there was a large Splat Party involving juveniles that took place at several locations in the Augusta area and ended on Old McDuffie Road,” sheriff’s Lt. Kimberly Lee said.
Witnesses say the Splat party was a game for youth ages 15-18 using Splat guns that fire gel orbeez, also known as water beads. One teen said participants hard gunfire and began running.
The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the assistance from anyone in the community that has any information related to this incident. If you have any information in reference to this incident, please call 706-821-1080. Callers can remain anonymous.
The shooting death comes just hours after another homicide claimed a young life on Kensington Drive South, located less than three miles from where Person died. It’s unclear if the shooting deaths are related.
In the earlier shooting, two people have been charged with murder of 24-year-old Marquez Bokknight. Tevin Deshon Lloyd, 23, and Isaiah Jeremiah Lyles, 22, have both been charged with murder of the victim, who was shot several times and died at Augusta University Medical Center on Thursday afternoon.
