Second man in foiled school graduation shooting plot in Pontiac sentenced to jail

FOX 2 - Today the second suspect in a foiled mass shooting plot at a high school graduation was sentenced to jail.

The backstory:

Authorities said 21-year-old Jamarion Hardiman and Deahveon Whaley, 20, planned a mass shooting at the Arts and Technology Academy, which was held at the United Wholesale Mortgage sports campus in Pontiac on June 3. 2025.

Both men pleaded guilty to carrying a concealed weapon, carrying a firearm with unlawful intent, and possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony.

Hardiman was sentenced to four to 10 years in prison with credit for 326 days time served.

He received two to five years to be served concurrently for carrying a concealed weapon and felony firearm.

For a second count of carrying a concealed weapon, he was sentenced to two to five years.

The judge in the case called Hardiman "a menace."

"You had a fully loaded 9mm with 40 rounds and one in the chamber, right?

"Yes," he said.

"And then you go to this event that was supposed to be a happy, celebratory event. A high school graduation, right? And then you start a fight with someone," she said. "You went there looking for a fight, and your love affair with guns is going to get you or someone else killed. That's what I think."

Both pleaded guilty to carrying a concealed weapon, carrying a firearm with unlawful intent, and possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony.

Whaley was sentenced to three years probation on April 8.

Police were called to the ceremony after a fight involving the two men broke out, and from there, they managed to uncover and stop the planned shooting.

While investigating the fight, deputies were told about a Snapchat thread, which included threats to shoot up the graduation.

Deputies received assistance from UWM security and were shown video of Hardiman and Whaley.

Multiple weapons were found strategically stashed under vehicles in the parking lot.

Dig deeper:

The Oakland County Prosecutor's Office said the suspects were seen on video crouching behind vehicles in the parking lot before leaving the loaded guns under parked vehicles.

These firearms, an AR-style pistol with a round drum that included 40 rounds of ammunition and a Glock pistol with a 40-round magazine, were later retrieved by deputies.

It is unclear if either of the men actually made the threatening Snapchat message or if someone else was behind it.