A suspect from Aiken County has been identified in a dispute that led to the shooting of a three-year-old girl early Sunday in downtown Augusta.
The investigation identified Jermaine Dixon of Graniteville as the primary suspect. Authorities believe the shooting was connected to a dispute inside a local club, with at least two suspects involved in the altercation walking toward Ellis Street when the shots were fired.
Warrants for aggravated assault and criminal damage to property were issued for Dixon on Wednesday. Dixon was arrested during a traffic stop Wednesday night in Graniteville on a drug charge and is now being held for the Richmond County charges.
Justin Mayes of Beech Island was initially identified as a suspect wanted for questioning, but he was interviewed and released without charges, authorities said.
Dixon has a previous arrest for allegedly dealing drugs in the Aiken area.
Officers responded at 2:28 a.m. Sunday to the 200 block of Tenth Street, arriving almost immediately due to enhanced patrols along Broad Street. They found the child in a vehicle with her mother, Faith Crawford. The child had suffered a gunshot wound but was not critically injured with no vital organs hit. She was transported to WellStar ER for treatment and admitted with a minor injury.
Crawford, from Nahunta, Ga., told investigators she was parked in the area to pick someone up when the shots rang out.
Sheriff Eugene Brantley commended the efforts of the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office and the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office for their cooperation and quick action in the case.
“This arrest is the direct result of skilled investigators and advanced technology working together to protect our community,” Brantley said.
