Getaway driver sentenced in playground shooting that killed victims ages 4, 18

FOX 2 - The getaway driver in the deadly playground shooting on Detroit's east side last year was sentenced on Friday. 

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William Wheeler was sentenced to 16 to 40 years in the shooting at Skinner Park near Denby High School last October, after accepting a plea agreement.

The shooting killed Samir Grubbs, 4, and Daviyon Shelmonson-Bey, 18. A third victim was also shot, but the 17-year-old survived. 

Brandon Ware, who police say fired the gun, is set to be sentenced later this month. 

Judge Chandra Baker-Robinson said although the victims' families asked for the maximum punishment, she was going to follow the plea agreement.

"I do believe that Mr. Wheeler can be rehabilitated. He is about to have a life that he has no clue what is about to happen, what he's about to go through –  the Michigan Department of Corrections. You're going to go through some things that you never even imagined, but those are the consequences."

Wheeler apologizes

The other side:

Wheeler expressed remorse in the crime when given the chance to speak. 

"I want to send my respects to the family victims," he said, "Some tragedies happen. That was not right, not fully in my control. I'm sorry … There's no words to justify what happened."

The judge also let him address his family. He also expressed his regret to his family for putting himself in that "predicament."

"I'm sorry for the hurt and problems I put them through with this situation," he said.

What they're saying:

Jasmine Grubbs the mother of Samir, took the stand for an emotional victim statement.

"I am strong. But this has made me weak," she said. "I do not feel that they are sorry. I do not feel that even jail time won't bring me what I deserve.

"My son just wanted to go to a park. Never in a million years that I think I will be sitting here. I'm asking for justice for my 4-year-old son."

Grubbs said she often looks at the Spider-Man book bag the 4-year-old had picked out for his first day of school, that Samir will never use.

"I will never get that graduation. I will never get that first day of school," she said. "Everybody else got to see their kids off for the first day of school, and I never got that chance."

Also speaking in court was the father of Daviyon, Joseph Shelmonson-Bey.

"I feel like there will never be enough justice because of how it altered a lot of our lives, off of something senseless," he said. "The person had an opportunity to make a choice in the matter of this crime. Even though, you know, you could have talked your friend out of it, out of the situation, but you didn't."

Judge fights back tears

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The judge became emotional and wiped her eyes with tissues during the sentencing. Her voice broke numerous times as she explained she was a mother of two and couldn't imagine losing her children that way. 

Related: Two playground murder suspects due in court for deaths of 4-year-old, 18-year-old

Baker-Robinson noted the irony that Wheeler had two important things in his favor - family and being a high school graduate. She said most defendants in his position have neither.

The judge said Wheeler can be held up to 40 years plus two, adding that it is dependent on him. She added that she believes he is remorseful.

"When you are released, if and when you are released, eventually that you come back out and that you become some kind of mentor to individuals," she said. "When you come out, I hope you come out and you talk to young people about these kind of decisions and hopefully prevent somebody else from making the decisions you make."

Crime and Public SafetyDetroit