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Ok... How bout the guy shot in the neck on gordon highway at olive road the other week? Or the head shot in Southgate shopping center my brother responded to not too long ago? Or the murders (2) from gang activity (2nd avenue boys) in the housing complex off of 1st, 2nd and 3rd avenues not too long ago? All just down Gordon Highway from Regency. Crime, I agree is sometimes over exaggerated but very often it is worthy of the notoriety it receives... But funny you mention Augusta Mall, it had Richmond county called 3 times in 3 hours the other day for robberies/stolen property. However, if you don't draw attention to it... Do you think it will get better? Not just no, but h*ll no. We surely don't want it to get worse, that's for certain.
Cops loved Augusta, they're planning on coming back btw. And depending on the area, Richmond County deputies can tell you themselves not much has changed regardless of what you read. I say that bc my brother is one and he was in one of those areas... partly the reason why its so hard to keep deputies, the other being pay of course.
I wouldn't consider that housing project area part of the regency mall area either. If you were going to the mall, you wouldn't find yourself in a housing project..at least I wouldn't.
Regardless let some folks tell it, you would think Augusta was Detroit. Is there crime in Augusta? Sure. But name me one metro area the size of Augusta with little to no crime.
Do I think crime played a part in Regency Malls' downfall? Yes but only a small part.
Location: Augusta, GA ''The fastest rising city in the southeast''
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None of those crimes are in the immediate Regency Mall area.. Bringing up crimes from last year and grouping them with recent crimes is not a fair comparison. Nobdy is denying the crime, but the shooting at Olive/Gordon happen at 2:30 am... These aren't random crimes taking place..
The information about the Augusta mall obviously came from a local talk show.. Every mall in the US will experience thefts and the woman left her purse unattended..
The show Cops probably did like Augusta, but they probably enjoyed Savannah too.. The crime rate of Augusta is lower than Chattanooga, Mobile, Jackson, Tallahasee, Baton Rouge, Durham, Salt Lake City, Greensboro, Columbia, Greenville, etc.. The FBI crime rate of Augusta is usually lower than every city in Georgia too.
Last edited by nortonguy; 06-09-2014 at 12:36 PM..
It's unfair to blame the commission... this is one of the few times that they actually didn't screw the pooch in regards to something. lol. All that really tells me is we have a lot of uninformed citizens around town in regards to how things work in commercial real-estate and the responsibilities of government in general.
Yes we do. Everytime I visit the Augusta Chronicle and read some of the comments there, I'm amazed at how little people know about the government. I don't know everything but I try not to comment on things I don't know about...others not so much.
One of the biggest complaints I hear especially from South Augusta residents is about how the city is just letting the mall sit there...as if they can force businesses to locate there. The bottom line is, for South Augusta, Peach Orchard Rd and maybe Windsor Spring when it's done widening all the way, are probably the most attractive corridors for businesses to locate to in South Augusta and that's probably where they will go.
I wouldn't consider that housing project area part of the regency mall area either. If you were going to the mall, you wouldn't find yourself in a housing project..at least I wouldn't.
Regardless let some folks tell it, you would think Augusta was Detroit. Is there crime in Augusta? Sure. But name me one metro area the size of Augusta with little to no crime.
Do I think crime played a part in Regency Malls' downfall? Yes but only a small part.
PJ, those are people that live in and around Regency... You think there is some kind of force field around the mall property? What's to stop those types of people from doing what they already did in the past at Regency again, causing trouble at the exact same location should something else be built there or the building itself renovated and re-opened. People in a housing project wouldn't come to the mall?
Anybody that has lived in Augusta for an extended period of time knows that the perception of Regency being increasingly unsafe over its life played much more than a small role in its closing. The Augusta mall was also a reason in large part, but those were the two main reasons. To say crime was small part is just not the reality of what happened in and around the mall.
I mean, really? I honestly cant believe you two are debating the area around Regency mall and squabbling about what amounts to an extra 1 min ride would mean it's too far to consider it an influence on the mall from the violent crimes I listed. Or that it's to far for those same people to commit the same crimes just down the street where there are people with money and cars enjoying a day of shopping.
If you ride through parts of downtown it kinda does looks like Detroit in places... abandoned homes are there , not everywhere, but they're there. The govt want 4 million to knock down over 230 of them I believe was the figure.
None of those crimes are in the immediate Regency Mall area.. Bringing up crimes from last year and grouping them with recent crimes is not a fair comparison. Nobdy is denying the crime, but the shooting at Olive/Gordon happen at 2:30 am... These aren't random crimes taking place..
The information about the Augusta mall obviously came from a local talk show.. Every mall in the US will experience thefts and the woman left her purse unattended..
The show Cops probably did like Augusta, but they probably enjoyed Savannah too.. The crime rate of Augusta is lower than Chattanooga, Mobile, Jackson, Tallahasee, Baton Rouge, Durham, Salt Lake City, Greensboro, Columbia, Greenville, etc.. The FBI crime rate of Augusta is usually lower than every city in Georgia too.
Nort... COPS rode with my brother, he's going out to L.A. with them soon... what's your source again? End of story. They told him it was ridiculous the activity that goes on here... Per population and call load RCSO is up to it's neck in treading water personnel wise, they're basically down entire shifts of specialized units like crime suppression to field enough drivers to cover beat work... Do you hear about that? No, you don't.
And like i told PJ, the distances from regency mall you have issue with (2mi) is a 2 minute car ride, faster if you catch the lights. That's not gonna stop anyone from going to the mall and potentially doing the same heinous crimes there, at all. Trying to be nice, but it's like you both either don't remember Regency and uts downward slide very well or you don't care to listen to somebody whose brother IS Richmond County and has been in Augusta's worst areas and seen things you couldn't imagine. You just dont understand, you think you do, but you don't... I thought I did.
Those crimes were all fairly recent and not much has changed, the same environment exist, so its no different than the developments you keep talking about for years on end. Like the Hyatt Place or the Mills or Marbury whatever... Is it not?
"Security at Regency Mall also became an issue as the 1980s wore on, leading to a perception that the mall was not a safe place to visit. Both Augusta Mall and Regency Mall had faced security problems by 1985.[12] But in March 1986, a 16-year-old was abducted from a parking lot at Regency Mall. She was raped and shot four times, and her body was found several days later near Hephzibah, Ga.[13] Three years later, an 18-year-old woman was shot by a man who was hiding in the back seat of her car, leaving her paralyzed; her family filed suit against DeBartolo, claiming that security at Regency Mall was inadequate."
PJA, this is a quote from Wiki and it is accurate. I have to disagree with your statement that crime only played a small part in the downfall of Regency Mall. It's rather obvious that crime paid a large part in the demise of Regency Mall.
Location: Augusta, GA ''The fastest rising city in the southeast''
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Reputation: 955
Tckr83.... I don't know why you believe your the only person who knows someone working in law enforcement..
Even when they consolidated Durham with the entire county, the crime rate is still much higher than Augusta. The crime rate of Augusta would be even lower than 299 if you consolidated the city with the entire county(city of Hephzibah and Blythe)..
No, I don't believe that I'm the only one knowing a LEO… I just believe I'm the one on this board that is gonna have to tell the other side because let's be honest, you can't or won't. I referenced what COPS said in regards to their impression of the activity during their time here as they rode frequently with my brother as it was recommended they ride with him from up the chain of command (most arrests in the county for 2 or 3 years now). You then threw out information about other cities I've seen 100 times before on here. COPS has been to most of if not all of those cities you threw out, it's the longest continually running television show and they've seen it all. They thought exactly what I told you about there time here, it was a very good location for them. I don't believe the numbers, point blank. I've looked up statistics before myself and many times couldn't find Augusta, because it wasn't there, wanna explain that? If you have buddies on the force and you haven't heard the kind of stories I have… I'd wager to bet they don't work nights and aren't in the problem areas.
Is if fair for me to question your mentioning of developments that are years old in the making w/o coming to fruition if you question my violent crimes all less than a year and a half old? Because that's just what you do when anything negative (yet based in reality) is posted about Richmond County. I'm not picking on Richmond County, it's my hometown, but for God's sake… bad things do happen here and you don't have to nonchalantly try and dismiss and downplay it every single time. It's no different than people posting ridiculous responses and "high-jacking" threads as it has been recently termed on here… it's just coming from the opposite end of the spectrum.
If you know somebody in law enforcement, you sure don't act like it in this thread with your opinion of the area surrounding Regency… not a darn thing has changed in that area since the closing of the mall. And I'm sure you don't care for the radio personality you mentioned, because he kind of called you out. But you used your dislike for Austin Rhodes as a way to diminish or down play what I said about 3 criminal activities that occurred at the mall within 3 hours. That's not normal!
• Tia K. Jordon, 40, of Hephzibah, was killed Jan. 5 in a murder-suicide at FPL Food, 1301 New Savannah Road. Police said her husband, Emanuel Donquail Jordan, 21, shot her and turned the gun on himself.
• Albert Dawayne Hawkins, 40, of 2272 Darlington Drive, died Jan. 7 at Medical College of Georgia Hospital after being stabbed at his home. His girlfriend Catherine Denise Gibson, 26, who lived with him, was charged with murder and possession of a knife during the commission of a crime.
• Doniel Jamal Hicks, 24, of the 800 block of Spruce Street, died Jan. 14 after being shot in the torso in the 200 block of East Telfair Street. Christopher Gary Smith, 24, was a suspect but has not been found.
• Kyle Austin Royal, 16, of the 2900 block of Clarkston Road, was fatally shot Jan. 16 in a vehicle at Magic City, 3200 Mike Padgett Highway. The case is unsolved.
• Cayce Vice, 21, and her unborn child died Jan. 28 after she was shot in the head in her apartment at The Greens on Washington Road. Vice’s boyfriend, Joshua Tremaine Jones, 26, has been charged in the death and in the death of Aiken Public Safety Master Cpl. Sandra Rogers.
FEBRUARY
• Jermaine Desmond Little, 32, died Feb. 4 after he was beaten outside Paul’s IGA on Greene Street on Feb. 1. Earnest Earl Dailey Jr., 38, was charged with murder March 14 after he surrendered to police.
• Truemaine Davon Jones, 27, of the 200 block of Japonica Avenue, died Feb. 5 after he was shot in a rear parking lot at River Glen Apartments, 201 E. Telfair Street. Soweto Kamau Moody, 18, was charged with murder, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.
MARCH
• Tyasia Phillips, 5, was taken off life support March 17 after she was abused by her father in his home in the 2900 block of Gordon Highway. Willie Clifford Jones, 22, has been charged with murder.
• Anthony G. Olivet, 43, was discovered stabbed to death March 19 in his apartment at 2802 Fleming Avenue. Carl Garland Logan, 30, of Danville, Va., faces charges of murder and possession of a knife during the commission of a crime upon extradition. Logan, who is held in Houston on unrelated charges, also has warrants in Danville for the stabbing of two women.
• Daniel Stocker, 2, was discovered dead March 21 in a swimming pool full of trash at his home on Creighton Place. Police searched for the child after his mother reported he left the home while she was sleeping. The mother, Lisa Stocker, 37, was charged with murder
• Hunter Morris, 10, was shot to death March 26 by his 12-year-old neighbor at his friend’s home in Plantation Acres Trailer Park, 3962 Deans Bridge Road. The shooter dragged Morris’ body to an outside trash bin before being caught by a neighbor. The shooter was charged with involuntary manslaughter and pointing a weapon at another.
• Charlie Jones III, 19, was killed March 29 during a home invasion at a residence where he was staying in the 1400 block of Wrightsboro Road. Another victim, 19-year-old James Wright, was shot in the chin and arm. Ronny Rashad Bonner, 20; Deandre Marquette Brown, 20, and Willie Edward Hooper, 22, are charged with murder, aggravated assault, armed robbery, burglary and possession of a firearm during commission of a crime.
MAY
• Rocky Allen Moody, 23, died May 28 after being shot by his father, Robert Moody, 55, at a home on Red Bird Road. The father was charged with murder and possession of a firearm during commission of a crime.
• Walter Foster, 36, of St. Petersburg, Fla., died May 29 after being shot. Authorities believe Foster and Michael Brown, 28, went to the home of Kenyatta Moorehead, 33, of 3803 Shari St., to buy drugs. Brown and Foster were robbing Moorehead when the three began fighting over the handgun. Moorehead was shot in the knee and Foster was shot in the chest. Brown was charged with armed robbery, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, theft by receiving stolen property and felony murder in connection with the death.
JUNE
• William McClain, 63, died June 12 after being beaten in the head with a floor lamp at the old Days Inn, 444 Broad St. Bryant Willerson, 44, was charged with murder.
• Javares Alston, 38, was shot June 28 at his home in Windsor Court mobile home park on Windsor Spring Road. His roommate was also shot. Dequan Holmes, 17, was charged with murder, aggravated assault and possession of a handgun during the commission of a crime.
JULY
• Pr’Shawn Williams, 22, died July 5 after being shot in the head and upper leg outside Alter Ego’z, 1721 Gordon Highway. Devin Washington, 18, of Beech Island, was charged with aggravated assault, murder and possession of a firearm during commission of a crime.
• Tiffany Salter, 22, was found July 7 strangled outside her home, 4436 Reynolds St. in Hephzibah. Her boyfriend, Todd Goff, 24, was charged with murder.
AUGUST
• Anthony Dewayne King, 28, was found Aug. 3 shot in the chest in a wrecked car on Barnes Lane in an attempted carjacking. William Clark, 16, and Jeremiah Kelly, 15, were charged with malice murder, felony murder, three counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime and two counts of aggravated assault.
• Ollie Anderson III, 27, died Aug. 5 en route to the Gordon Motel after being stabbed by his live-in girlfriend during an argument at their home at Fox Trace Apartments. Tiffany Brown, 29, has been charged with murder.
• Keya Mitchell, 34, was fatally shot Aug. 19 at a Cedar Wood apartment on Richmond Hill Road. Her husband, Harvey Mitchell, 31, has been charged with murder, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
• Joseph Williams, 64, was shot Aug. 21 during a robbery in the parking lot of his First Street apartment complex. Seth Rouzan, 26, and Ronnie Pontoon, 15, were charged with murder and armed robbery.
OCTOBER
• Russell Boyd, 66, was shot once on Camille Street. Police believe the Oct. 10 shooting stemmed from an argument at a nearby residence. Ronnie Lee Berrian, 28, was charged with murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.
• Tim Grooms, 59, of Lincolnton, was shot twice Oct. 16 in his aunt’s seventh-floor University Hospital room. His aunt’s husband, Charles Gorrell, 85, of Aiken, has been charged with murder and possession of a handgun during the commission of a crime.
• Samuel Hackett, 52, died Oct. 25 after being stabbed. Police found him with in his Dewitt Street home. The case is unsolved.
NOVEMBER
• Sandra Mae Studer, 42, was fatally shot in the head Nov. 9 at the home of her boyfriend, Daniel Robert Gray, 51, on Bath Patterson Road. Gray then turned the gun on himself. He died the next day.
• Demetrius Moore, 21, was fatally shot Nov. 13 during an attempted robbery in a stairwell at River Glen Apartments. Rayshawn Migeal Ward, 16, and Demariye Vontrell Glover, 17, were charged with murder. Glover was also charged with criminal attempt armed robbery and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.
DECEMBER
• De’John Grant, 20, died Dec. 1 after being shot on Dublin Drive off Barton Chapel Road around 8 p.m. At least one other person was injured. The case is unsolved.
• Michael Wickert, 48, was discovered Dec. 5 at a home at 1615 Keron Way, Hephzibah, where he had been assaulted. Joseph Leon-Guerrero, 33, Leslie Blair, 41, and Larry Lawson Norton Jr., 31, were charged with murder. Leon-Guerrero and Norton were also charged with theft by taking motor vehicle.
• Hester Wilfred Jackson, 56, died Dec. 8 after being shot at his home at 2734 Willis Foreman Road. Police believe he interrupted a burglary. Deputies found his body early the next morning. The case is unsolved.
• Martez Davis, 16, was shot Dec. 19 in a backyard on the 2300 block of Amsterdam Drive. Verdre Lamont Scott, 16, was charged as an adult with felony murder. Police said Davis and Scott were attempting to rob James Erik Gibbons Jr., 17, who had recently stolen a truck, when Davis shot Gibbons in the leg. Gibbons returned fire, fatally shooting Davis.
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