In the spring of 1970, the city of Augusta, Georgia, was a powder keg of racial tension waiting for a spark. Decades of systemic oppression and injustice simmered just beneath the surface for the city's Black residents. That spark came with the death of Charles Oatman, a mentally disabled 16-year-old Black youth who died under brutal circumstances in the county jail.
News of his death, his body bearing marks of torture, ignited a firestorm of protest that would engulf the city in what became known as the Augusta Riot.
Amidst this chaotic backdrop, on the night of May 11th and the early morning of May 12th, the life of John Bennett, a 28-year-old African American man, was tragically cut short. While the city was in turmoil with demonstrations and clashes with police, Bennett and his cousin were at a friend's apartment. When they discovered Bennett's car had been stolen, they ventured out into the volatile streets to find it. Their search led them to a corner store that had been looted, where they found the car with its trunk open and groceries inside.
As they approached the vehicle, they were confronted by police officers. According to Bennett's cousin, the officers refused to believe that the car belonged to him. An altercation ensued, and Bennett was slapped and then arrested. In a moment of panic, Bennett tried to flee. Witnesses reported that multiple police officers opened fire as he ran, and he was struck down by the gunshots. John Bennett was one of six Black men who lost their lives to police gunfire during the riot; all of them were unarmed and all had been shot in the back.
In the aftermath, investigations were launched by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the FBI. A federal grand jury did indict two Augusta police officers, William S. Dennis and Louis C. Dinkins, on civil rights charges related to shootings during the riot, but not specifically for Bennett's death. Both officers were ultimately acquitted by all-white juries, and no one was ever convicted for the killing of John Bennett or the other five men. The officers involved in the shootings not only avoided punishment but were later promoted, with one being named officer of the year. For decades, the story of the "Augusta Six" was largely buried, a painful chapter in the city's history. However, in 2022, the Department of Justice announced it was reopening an investigation into their deaths, offering a glimmer of hope for a long-delayed reckoning with the past.
