‘It needs to stop’: Slain boy’s parents vow killer will be caught

Remembering the victims: CSRA slaying surge’s toll surpasses 80

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - The family of a 13-year-old is struggling to understand how and why he was shot to death outside the downtown Augusta apartment building where he lives.

Buddy Brown Jr., a seventh-grader at Hornsby Middle School, was killed early Tuesday outside the Richmond Summit Apartments, 744 Broad St.

The shooting is among dozens that have swept the CSRA in the past year, claiming more than 80 lives since mid-April.

And although many of the victims and suspects in that time have been young men, none have been as young as Buddy.

He was killed while meeting a DoorDash driver who’d brought food the boy had ordered from McDonald’s.

The boy’s body was found around 3 a.m., but his family said he’d gone to the door to pick up the food between 12:30 and 1 a.m.

Buddy Brown Jr., a seventh-grader at Hornsby Middle School, was shot dead early Tuesday outside the Richmond Summit Apartments, 744 Broad St.

“He told me, ‘Dad, I’ll be right back. I’m going to get my order,’” said the boy’s father, Buddy Brown Sr.

He knew something was wrong when he got a call.

“He told me that my son was laying down there dead and I throw my phone down and ran down there and my son was laying there dead,” the dad said.

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The boy’s family can’t figure out who would have shot him in the back of the head or why.

“It needs to stop – going around and killing each other,” the boy’s dad said. “We need to start helping each other and pull together.”

Buddy’s family says he wasn’t in a gang and instead had more subdued interests – like reading and food.

“My baby loved to eat, and that’s what he was trying to do was eat,” said his mother, Mary Brown.

“He never walked the streets, never hung out. He didn’t like to do that. He just wanted to be around his family,” she said.

But his parents fully believe the killer will be caught.

“You can run and hide and dodge all you want, but that conscience is going to eat you up no matter where you’re at,” Buddy Brown Sr. said. “Because whenever you look around, you’re going to see my son in your face and you’re going to think about it.”

And when the killer is caught, the dad said, “God is going to be right there waiting for you.”

Crime is no stranger to Richmond Summit – an older midrise brick building across the street from the Imperial Theatre – and life went on as usual outside it just a few hours after Buddy was killed.

But by Wednesday, there was a small memorial for him in a corner of the entrance – a teddy bear, some flowers, candles and a Bible.

Outside the Richmond Summit apartments, there was a small memorial the day after 13-year-old... — Outside the Richmond Summit apartments, there was a small memorial the day after 13-year-old Buddy Brown was shot dead.(WRDW)

The family is offering a $1,000 reward for information about his killer. Contact the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office if you can help.

“My son is going to get his justice,” Buddy Brown Sr. said. “No matter what, he’s going to get his justice so he can rest in peace, and I’m going to make sure that happens.”

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