Tragic teen slaying leaves heartbreak in Augusta; 2 face murder charges

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Just as the school year begins, a shooting has taken the life of a 14-year-old and injured three others as young as 12 years old.

Richmond County deputies have charged two people in connection with the violence that broke out around 5 p.m. Sunday on Meadowbrook Drive in the parking lot of an Advance Auto Parts store.

Authorities are describing this latest tragedy as heartbreaking, especially given the ages of the suspects and victims.

The Richmond County Coroner’s Office says 14-year-old Deandre Howell was pronounced dead at the scene.

Deputies say 18-year-old Nametrius McClam was arrested on Monday and will charged with murder.

Also facing a murder charge is Vincent Hikeem Carter Jr., 16, who’s hospitalized, according to deputies.

The overall shock and sadness felt by the community was still very clear Monday.

Many local business owners and nearby homeowners said they had seen the group involved selling water and Gatorade in the hot summer months at the intersection where the shooting took place.

Two victims were shot at Advance Auto Parts, while two others were shot at a nearby Texaco, authorities say.

A car was also shot at and pulled over in another parking lot, a deputy said.

In addition to Carter, another 16-year-old and a 12-year-old were injured in the incident.

They were taken to a hospital to be treated, and all three are listed as stable.

Neighbors said there had not been a violent event in the area in some time.

Multiple people said they feel safe in the neighborhood, which only added to the shock when they found out the loud popping sound they heard on Sunday afternoon was gunshots.

“I thought it was fireworks. I was sat on the porch and stuff ...  and somebody said, ‘Pop, pop, pop.’ I thought somebody was shooting fireworks and that, and all of a sudden, I see police coming down,” said neighbor Johnny Elmore.

With all of the people involved in this shooting being 18 or younger, many neighbors had strong opinions of how to prevent an event like this from happening again in their area in the future.

One neighbor we spoke to said she hopes Sheriff Eugene Brantley’s new plans of curfews for juveniles will help keep young people off the street, while another encouraged them to put their guns down and said, “Guns won’t solve anything.”

Brantley seems to agree.

“This heartbreaking tragedy is yet another reminder of how critical it is that we know where our children are, who they’re with, and what they’re involved in,” he said. “As parents, guardians, mentors, and community leaders, we have a responsibility to guide our youth away from violence and toward brighter futures.”

“We must be willing to have those tough conversations—about consequences, about the value of life, and about the dangers that can come from one wrong decision,” said Brantley. “My team and I are committed to doing our part by investigating this thoroughly and holding everyone involved accountable.”

The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, Richmond County Sheriff’s Office Crime Suppression Team, K9 teams and SWAT team have assisted in the investigation.