The Augusta victim of a home invasion says an armed man pistol-whipped him and stole his expensive collection of Air Jordan shoes.
Gavin David Carpenter, 21, is wanted in the home invasion. (He’s the same young man who allegedly choked his girlfriend after demanding sex if she wanted him to pay for her movie tickets in 2019.)
The 29-year-old home invasion victim said the suspect appeared inside his apartment around 10: 40 p.m. June 27 on Shadow Ridge Drive. The man heard a loud thud in another room and peeked into the living room to find an armed man.
The suspect racked the handgun, pointed it at him and asked him “What you got?” The suspect followed the resident into the apartment bedroom, pistol-whipped him with the handgun several times and then set his sights on his expensive collection of Air Jordan tennis shoes, valued at $170 each. (Oddly, the suspect only carried the left or right shoes for six of the pairs. All of them were size 10.5.)
“The suspect emptied his clothes basket and started dumping his Air Jordan shoes in the basket,” a sheriff’s report says. “The suspect left out the front door.”
The victim saw another black male in the parking lot with the suspect. After he called 911, the resident observed the sliding door to his bedroom was open and it had been closed and locked all day.
Video footage showed a black Charger circle the parking lot and two black males in dark clothing exit the vehicle and approach the victim’s building. The suspects are then seen entering the vehicle and it leaves the parking lot.
The victim suffered a laceration to the top of his head and a cut that split his ear about 1/4-inch deep and another laceration behind his left ear. Augusta Fire Department officials arrived to treat him, but the victim said he would drive himself to the hospital after waiting over 90 minutes for Gold Cross to arrive.
Gavin Carpenter is wanted for home invasion, aggravated assault, kidnapping and possession of a weapon during the commission of a crime. He should be considered Armed and Dangerous.
In 2019, authorities say Carpenter was taking his girlfriend to see a movie when they began to argue. The victim tried to get out of the car and walk home. Carpenter allegedly grabbed her by the neck, choking her and preventing her from exiting the vehicle.
Carpenter then turned the car around and drove toward the victim’s house. On the way, he reportedly said that he would pay for both movie tickets if she had sex with him in exchange. Again the victim tried to exit the vehicle, and this time she was successful.
However, once she was outside the vehicle, Carpenter allegedly drove straight at the woman, striking her with the front corner of his red Kia Optima and fleeing the scene. She suffered scrapes to her arm and shoulder.
Carpenter eluded arrest until this April, when he was charged with reckless conduct and simple battery. He was later freed on bond.
Anyone that comes in contact with Carpenter or has any information as to his whereabouts is asked to contact Investigator Courtland Harris or any on call investigator at the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office at 706-821-1455 or 706-821-1020.
