A solemn candlelight vigil in unincorporated Decatur ended in tragedy and, now, a life-without-parole sentence. On Monday, April 20, 2026, DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Tangela Barrie sentenced 35-year-old Kevin Grier to life in prison without the possibility of parole for a 2022 shooting that killed 17-year-old Ian Hagerty and wounded two other youths at an apartment complex on the 2000 block of Flat Shoals Road.
The gunfire broke out on November 27, 2022, during a vigil where balloons had just been released in memory of 18-year-old Taneaious McCune. A 16-year-old and an 11-year-old were also hit by bullets in the attack.
The Verdict And Sentence
After a jury trial in DeKalb County Superior Court, Grier was convicted on charges that included malice murder, felony murder and two counts of aggravated assault, according to WSB-TV. Jurors also found him guilty of firearms offenses tied to possession of a weapon during the commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Judge Barrie responded to the verdict by imposing life in prison without parole.
How The Shooting Unfolded
Witnesses told investigators that the gunman walked up to Hagerty at the vigil and opened fire shortly after the balloon release for McCune. The gathering took place outside the Highlands at East Atlanta apartments on Flat Shoals Road, and officers arriving on scene found two victims at the complex while another youth ran to a nearby store to seek help, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
Investigation And Arrest
Detectives released photos and surveillance video to the public, and tips that came in helped identify Grier as the suspect. He was arrested in January 2023 and held in the DeKalb County Jail without bond until his trial, according to Atlanta News First. Prosecutors said investigators used the surveillance footage to place Grier at the scene and to show him continuing to fire at Hagerty after the teenager had fallen.
Court Record And Charges
DeKalb County Superior Court calendars list Grier’s case as number 23CR1887, with charges that include malice murder, multiple felony counts and two firearm charges tied to O.C.G.A. Section 16-5-1 and related statutes, according to DeKalb County Superior Court records. The docket shows Grier indicted on murder and aggravated assault counts along with the weapons offenses.
Legal Context
Under Georgia law, a murder conviction can result in penalties that range from life in prison to the death penalty, and life imprisonment without the possibility of parole is one of the outcomes available for malice or felony murder. Those offenses and punishments are detailed in Georgia Code Section 16-5-1, as compiled by Justia.
The vigil where Hagerty was killed had been organized for McCune, who DeKalb police said died days earlier during an attempted break-in. Investigators determined that the resident’s shooting of McCune was justified and charged three alleged accomplices in his death, earlier reporting shows. Grier’s life-without-parole sentence closes out the criminal case against him in a vigil shooting that rattled the East Atlanta neighborhood nearly three years ago.
