In the early hours of a Tuesday morning in Augusta, Georgia, a burst of gunfire shattered the pre-dawn stillness, leaving one young man dead and another wounded. Jerome Willy Bates, a 24-year-old male, was found with at least one gunshot wound on January 19, 2021, at an apartment complex on the 1100 block of Peters Road. Deputies who arrived at the scene shortly after 12:15 a.m. discovered his body; he was pronounced dead at 1:40 a.m.
The violence of that morning also left another man, 23-year-old Devante Pinkney, with injuries. Pinkney was transported to a local hospital by a private vehicle, having also been shot. The incident, which authorities believe occurred during an illegal narcotics transaction, quickly launched a homicide investigation.
The investigation led to the arrest of 22-year-old Antonio Demarco Dinkins Jr. He was charged with the murder of Jerome Bates and aggravated assault in the shooting of Devante Pinkney. According to arrest warrants, Dinkins allegedly fired a Glock 40 caliber firearm, striking Bates in the back. Reports indicate that Dinkins had a history of violent offenses in Richmond County. The investigation into the double shooting was reported as ongoing at the time of Dinkins' arrest.
