‘He just wanted a happy life’: Slain 15-year-old mourned

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - A 15-year-old has died, and another man was injured after a late-night shooting in Richmond County, according to authorities.

Officials say on Wednesday, at 11:35 p.m., the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 500 block of Aiken Street for a reported shooting.

According to Richmond County Coroner Mark Bowen, Jabari Webb of the 1700 block of Walker Street was shot at least once and transported to Augusta University Medical Center.

Webb was pronounced dead at 1:02 a.m., according to Bowen. He says an autopsy has been scheduled.

According to officials, a second male was treated at the hospital for injuries that were not life-threatening.

Family friends of Jabari said he left their house around 11 p.m. Wednesday and was supposed to be back later that night.

TEEN SHOOTINGS:

• This is at least the third fatal shooting of a 15-year-old in 2023. Zaire Person was shot and killed on Old McDuffie Road in April. Jordon Gaynor was killed in a shooting at Windsor Spring Road and Rosier Road.

What we know from law enforcement so far is they responded to a call around 11:30 Wednesday off Aiken Street.

Family friends say it was a drive-by shooting.

It’s a tragedy that has affected to many families.

“It hurt me because he was such a good person,” said Webb’s girlfriend. “He just wanted a happy life. He just wanted better for everybody.”

Family friends described the teenager as being very loving and said that he has so much life left to live.

“He has been there through everything that I was going through,” she said.

Family friends say he left their house last night and was supposed to come back. But instead his girlfriend got a phone call with terrible news.

“That’s when they told me. He got shot, he’s in the hospital so I went to the hospital and when I went to the hospital, they said he was gone,” she said.

He passed away just before his 16th birthday on July 25.

His girlfriend says people described him as a very loving person.

“He is such a sweet person and made everybody laugh and happy. He just wanted a better life,” she said.

Through this difficult time she still has one piece to hold onto, a teddy bear with a recording of his voice saying ‘I love you baby’.

Something she’ll be holding close in the days and weeks ahead.

Copyright 2023 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.