55-year-old man identified in suspicious death near Augusta Canal

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A 55-year-old man has been identified as the victim of a suspicious death in the 1400 block of Green Street.

According to the Richmond County Coroner’s Office. Brad Burkham was pulled from the Augusta Canal on Saturday..

The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office says Berkham was found dead in the waters of a tributary of the Augusta Canal under the bridge.

The coroner’s office said autopsy results are currently pending.

On Saturday, when News 12 crews arrived on the scene around 4:45 p.m., they saw one sheriff’s squad car at the scene.

Firefighters battle wildfires in Aiken County for the second day in a row.

Crews were battling two wildfires in Aiken County. A call was received at 6:11 a.m. Friday about a fire at Jefferson Davis Highway and Ackerman Drive. The day before there was a fire at the landfill.

Death comes among outbreak of violent crime that claimed more than 180 lives in just over two years across the CSRA.

The crime outbreak has affected communities large and small, but Augusta, the region’s largest city, has been particularly hard hit.

The authorities have blamed most of the problems on gangs.