The sister of a 73-year-old man killed in a shooting Tuesday morning in Augusta is speaking out, sharing her heartbreak over his death and her final conversations with him.
James Clarence West was shot and killed around 11:22 a.m. on the 1500 block of Picquet Avenue, making it the 49th homicide in Richmond County this year.
West was found lying in the street at the intersection of Picquet Avenue and Gordon Street, and was pronounced dead at the scene just over 20 minutes later. Authorities have charged 27-year-old Harold Leverett Jr. with murder and weapon possession in connection with the shooting. Leverett, a convicted drug dealer, was previously convicted of selling marijuana and possessing a firearm.
In a heartfelt statement, Rev. Belinda West-Womack, the victim’s sister, described her brother as a man who was always kind, generous, and quick to forgive. “Clarence loved everybody. He’d give you the shirt off his back and he’d get himself in trouble just to help you out,” she said. “He wasn’t perfect, but he was doing his best with the hand that he had been dealt.”
West-Womack, who lives in Tampa, Fla., shared that she had spoken with her brother twice on the morning of his death, praying with him and expressing their love for each other.
“He told me how much he loved his younger son and daughter, and how he wished he could get in touch with his oldest son,” she recalled. “I was so optimistic, so thankful that my brother was finally paying attention to the important things in life.”
But later that day, the call West-Womack received was not the one she had expected.
“The only call I got was to tell me that he’d been murdered…an ending that my brother did not deserve,” she said.
West-Womack also reflected on the pain her family has endured this year, including the recent loss of their youngest brother, who passed away from cancer in July. She also noted the tragic death of West’s son earlier this year.
“It’s been a rough year from the start,” she said. “But by God’s mercy and presence, He’s holding us now.”
Despite her grief, West-Womack extended compassion to the man accused of killing her brother.
“I’m praying for the young man who shot my brother,” she said. “He has a family too, and all of this is causing his family pain and grief as well.”
The fatal shooting marks the latest tragedy in a year that has seen a troubling rise in violence across the city. With almost four weeks left in the year, Richmond County is already on track to exceed last year’s homicide count, which stood at 38.
While the investigation continues, Rev. West-Womack’s words serve as a reminder of the human cost behind every crime.
“Kindness and encouragement should be a part of every conversation,” she said. “You never know when it might be your last.”
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