RICHMOND COUNTY, Ga. - A fistfight inside Augusta Mall ended with gunfire Monday afternoon, leaving one man dead and leading to a massive law enforcement response, according to the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.
What we know:
RCSO said the shooting began as a fistfight before one individual pulled a gun.
Deputies said 911 calls about the shooting came in around 1:15 p.m. In less than 2 minutes, deputies from the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office and Richmond County Marshal’s Office arrived. They found a man with a gunshot wound.
A marshal’s deputy began CPR while other deputies secured entrances and exits. FOX 54 reports that deputies said that man later died.
Two other people inside the mall were treated for unrelated minor medical issues.
Officials said mall security played a key role, providing video, photos and suspect descriptions that were broadcast immediately to responding officers.
One suspect was arrested inside the mall, and another was caught while running toward a nearby gas station. The sheriff said deputies are searching for two persons of interest in the case.
As of about 4 p.m., the sheriff's office said all businesses were cleared and everyone was out of the mall.
"The mall originally went out as an active shooter, but it was not an active shooter," the Richmond County Sheriff said. "It was a fight that escalated into gunfire."
What's next:
Sheriff's officials said the mall will stay closed today, but will likely reopen tomorrow.
The Source: Information in this article came from a Facebook post by the Richmond County Sheriff's Office.