Local Business Owners Demand Enhanced Police Patrols After Tragic Murder of Helms College Student

AUGUSTA, Ga. ()- Authorities from the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office are actively probing the fatal shooting of an Augusta resident that occurred on Monday night.

The deceased has been identified as Martin Gordon, a 30-year-old student enrolled at Helms College.

According to a GoFundMe page created for Gordon, he was a single father raising two children and had embarked on a journey at Helms College in April to become an HVAC technician.

As the investigation unfolds, the Helms College community is deeply mourning the tragic loss of Gordon.

In an official statement shared with NewsChannel 6, a representative from the college expressed their condolences, stating:

“We are heartbroken by the loss of one of our HVAC students, identified publicly by authorities as 30-year-old Martin Louis Gordon of Grovetown. We extend our deepest sympathies to his family, friends, classmates, and instructors during this difficult time.”

The Sheriff’s Office says this all happened close to midnight on Monday. 

Investigators say they originally thought the incident was traffic-related, but after further investigation they discovered Gordon died from a stab wound.

We spoke to nearby businesses about the incident.

“I still feel pretty safe, yes, but a little help would make me feel a little bit safer,” said Bebette Smith, a nearby business owner.

Smith is one of multiple business owners in the area who say there is a need for more law enforcement.

While other businesses would not comment on camera, Smith says incidents in and outside of business hours nearby have raised concerns. 

“From 10 to 5, we have one person here—granted we have cameras, so we have what it takes to protect us. But still, it would be nice to have a patrol officer to look around and see that we are safe,” Smith said.

Others say with the holiday season coming up, the incident involving Gordon adds to the need to increase security to make customers and employees feel safe. 

“Especially when it’s darker out, we really don’t have any lighting in the parking lot. So, it would definitely help to have more law enforcement,” said Barbara Tabor.

The Sheriff’s Office is requesting anyone with information on this case to contact the violent crimes division at (706) 821-1455.

To contribute to the GoFundMe set up for Gordon, you can find that link here.

A funeral service for Gordon is scheduled for Friday, October 31st.