Augusta Mall promises evaluation of security protocols in wake of 2nd shooting this year
An Augusta Mall executive says the company and local law enforcement are evaluating safety procedures in the wake of two shootings at the retail center since April.
Richmond County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to the second shooting inside Snipes, a shoe store in the mall, just after 3:30 p.m. Thursday, according to previous reporting and mall spokesperson Ali Phillips.
A man was shot at least once. Central EMS took him to a local hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, The Chronicle reported.
"This is an isolated and a targeted incident that occurred inside Snipes, one of our tenants," Phillips said. "We're disheartened that we were the location [of the shooting], and we want to assure the community that we're taking this seriously. ... We know this is a frightening experience, but we want to show the community that we're constantly reviewing and evaluating our security protocols."
Phillips declined to elaborate on the mall's security protocols as "it would jeopardize the efficiency and the effectiveness of the program."
April shooting inside the Augusta Mall
The shooting comes just a few weeks after an April shooting inside Dillard's at the Augusta Mall.
Both the shooter and victim fled the scene before law enforcement and EMS arrived, according to previous reporting. The victim drove themselves to a local hospital and was treated for a gunshot wound.
At least two suspects were arrested and charged in connection to the shooting.
Previous reporting: Augusta Mall sees shooting on 4th of July, second this year
"The first incident was also a targeted, isolated situation, and both times we were just an unfortunate location of the situation," Phillips said. "We have a robust program in place and we work with the Richmond [County Sheriff's Office] on an ongoing basis. ... After [this shooting] being the second one, we are looking into other programs and seeing where we can beef up security."
Phillips said she could not release specific details about the partnership with the sheriff's office, including the frequency of their communication or involvement in mall security.
The sheriff's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday. The agency had not as of Friday evening released new information about the shooting, other than what was included in an initial news release.
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Augusta Mall confirms shooting happened inside store
