Two young men, Jamarion Hardiman and Deahveon Whaley, were charged with carrying firearms with unlawful intent, among other charges, at a high school graduation in Pontiac. According to CBS News Detroit, the incident occurred during the Arts and Technology Academy of Pontiac's graduation ceremony at the UWM Sports Complex.
Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald's office announced that they have each been charged with carrying a concealed weapon and possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony, as reported by the Detroit Free Press. Neither of the suspects were graduating students, but authorities indicated they had ongoing disputes within the community which ostensibly brought them to the venue on June 3. The Oakland County Sheriff's department believes that, had they not intervened, the outcome could have been much worse.
Both weapons, a Glock semi-automatic handgun and an AR-style pistol, were found fully loaded with extended magazines. Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard remarked on the potential for extensive harm, stating, "Just those two weapons without changing magazines had 80 rounds of potential firepower shooting into a graduation," and "You can only imagine the outcome of that," in a statement obtained by the Detroit Free Press.
In an exclusive report by ClickOnDetroit, a security guard's quick response is credited with helping to prevent a potentially devastating shooting. The security officer, Michael Johnson, a former Oakland County Sheriff’s deputy, acted swiftly upon noticing something amiss during the brawl that broke out at the venue, which led to a prompt law enforcement response. Septembra Williams, the Superintendent of the Arts and Technology Academy of Pontiac, expressed gratitude towards Johnson's actions, saying, "He brought his training. He brought his eyes. He noticed something and acted fast." The incident has amplified calls for increased security measures during school events.
Although initial reports included rumors of threatening social media posts related to the event, these have yet to be verified by law enforcement. Meanwhile, the two men have entered not guilty pleas to the charges against them. The case is ongoing, with further developments anticipated as the investigation continues.
