A Savannah man has admitted to illegally possessing a machine gun in connection with a shooting incident at Oglethorpe Mall in July 2025. Aujawan T. Hymon, 21, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to the charge of illegal possession of a machine gun, according to Margaret E. Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
Hymon faces up to 10 years in prison and up to three years of supervised release. He may also be subject to significant financial penalties. Federal law does not provide for parole.
“This prosecution symbolizes our continued resolve to remove illegal firearms from our communities, and hold accountable those who would threaten the safety of law-abiding citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to make our streets and businesses safer.”
On July 2, 2025, Savannah Police responded to reports of gunfire at Oglethorpe Mall where three people were wounded during an exchange of shots. Surveillance footage showed Hymon carrying a pistol and discarding it in a trash can inside the mall. Investigators later recovered the weapon, identified as a .40-caliber Glock Model 22.
Technicians from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) found that the firearm was equipped with a “Glock switch.” This device converts semi-automatic pistols into fully automatic weapons—a modification prohibited under federal law. In his plea agreement, Hymon acknowledged possessing the modified weapon and being aware it had been converted into a machine gun.
Authorities stated that Hymon did not appear to have fired his weapon during the incident but remains subject to state charges related to the shooting along with other defendants whose actions did not constitute federal violations.
Hymon is currently held by the U.S. Marshals Service while sentencing awaits completion of a presentence investigation by U.S. Probation Services under Chief Judge R. Stan Baker.
“The guilty plea in this case underscores our unwavering commitment to removing illegal firearms from our communities,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Atlanta Field Division. “Together with our local and state partners, we are dedicated to ensuring public safety and holding accountable those who endanger it.”
The investigation involved both the Savannah Police Department and ATF agents, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Makeia R. Jonese prosecuting on behalf of the United States.
