AUGUSTA, Ga. — Chaos erupted at Augusta Mall Tuesday afternoon when a fight escalated into gunfire, leaving one teenager dead and prompting panicked shoppers to flee for safety.
According to Richmond County Sheriff Eugene Brantley, 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 victim was identified as 17-year-old Devon McClain, a local resident of Augusta. McClain sustained at least one gunshot wound and was transported by EMS to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 2:40 p.m. An autopsy is scheduled to determine the precise cause of death.
Authorities arrested 16-year-old Tyric Kendarius Logan, who was detained at the scene and transported to the Criminal Investigations Division. Logan, a resident of Silver Street in Augusta, has been charged with murder as an adult. Investigators have also interviewed additional persons of interest, and the investigation is ongoing.
The shooting occurred on the lower level near the escalator, with gunfire first reported near the American Eagle store. Witnesses said the suspect ran into the nearby Bath & Body Works after the shots were fired. Several people reported hearing at least three gunshots, after which crowds rushed to exit the mall.
The initial 911 call described an active shooter situation, prompting a large emergency response. Sheriff Brantley clarified that the incident was not an active shooter scenario, but rather a fight that escalated into 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 other local law enforcement. Sheriff Brantley highlighted that mall security played a key role in assisting law enforcement and helping to detain two suspects.
Authorities are still working to locate two persons of interest who fled the scene. The mall remains closed while the investigation continues, and residents have been urged to avoid the area for safety reasons.
Witnesses described the scene as chaotic and frightening. Shannon Sanchez, trapped during the incident, said she was locked in a store room with others and called it a “terrible situation.” Annette Prince, an employee at Dick’s Sporting Goods, said the lockdown was stressful, describing the experience as “scary for sure.”
As investigators work to determine the full circumstances of the shooting, the Augusta community grapples with the sudden loss of Devon McClain and the trauma left in the wake of the violent incident.