Saturday, March 17, 2019

(News 12 at 11)

UPDATE

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT)-- Hundreds headed to downtown to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day on Saturday, but by midnight it had

turned into a crime scene.

What was supposed to end with painting the town green, left broad street at Dr. Unk's Dive Bar, wrapped in yellow instead. Saint Patrick's Day plans changed for a lot of people when gunfire halted their night.

Shots erupted leaving four injured and one man behind bars, but many say it appears that it was all self-defense.

We asked Richmond County investigators what happened before the fight-turned-shooting, but they could not confirm. So we asked club-goers and many others who hung around the 900 block of Broad to see what was unfolding at midnight.

We're told, there was one big group, who appeared to be in a brawl/argument about a girl. Moments later, Montreze Roundtree started shooting. According to witnesses, they saw at least two men hit by the gunfire--one man shot in the leg, another man shot in the stomach area. Shortly after, deputies came on scene to apply pressure on the wounds of the bleeding victims as they awaited EMS. Deputies also wrapped off the block and redirected traffic to end the downtown commotion.

According to a statement from the sheriff's office, Roundtree told them four men followed him out of Dr. Unk's and started fighting him.

In response, Roundtree says, he started shooting at them.

The four men are still recovering in the hospital from what is expected to be non-life threatening gunshot wounds while 24-year-old

Roundtree is in jail for aggravated assault.

With hundreds of people downtown last night, it could have been worse but RCSO says no one else was injured during the shooting.

News 12 viewers have asked how is it fair that only the shooter was charged when it appears to be self-defense? So News 12 asked the sheriff's office are there any charges for the four men involved in the fight that led up to the shooting. The sheriff's office says CID is still investigating.

Sunday, March 17, 2019

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) -- Officials say just after midnight on Sunday, Richmond County deputies responded to the 900 block of Broad Street in reference to shots fired.

After investigators started looking into the situation, they say they learned the suspect, Montreze Roundtree, 24, shot at a group of individuals that reportedly followed him from Dr. Unks Dive Bar on the 800 block of Broad Street and allegedly began to fight him.

Officials say Roundtree turned himself into deputies when they arrived on scene.

The four male victims, between the ages of 22 and 33, all sustained gunshot wounds and they were transported to local hospitals to be treated for their injuries. The status of their condition is unknown at this time. News 12 has reached out to learn their conditions.

Roundtree was arrested and charged with Aggravated Assualt.

Officials say Montreze Roundtree and Sheriff Roundtree are not related.