PONTIAC, Mich. – Two people have been arraigned on charges after loaded guns were left in the parking lot outside of a high school graduation ceremony in Pontiac following an altercation. Authorities believe that there also may have been a plan to shoot up the event.
Jamarion Hardiman, 20, of Pontiac, and Deahveon Whaley, 19, also of Pontiac, were each charged with carrying a firearm with unlawful intent, possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony and carrying a concealed weapon, according to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office.
Hardiman and Whaley face up to five years in prison and/or a $2,500 fine on the charges of carrying a firearm with unlawful intent and carrying a concealed weapon. The possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony charge is punishable by a mandatory 2 years in prison, served consecutively with any other sentence, according to the prosecutor’s office.
They were arraigned on Monday, June 9. You can watch the full hearing in the video at the top of this article.
Hardiman’s arraignment
A not guilty plea was entered on Hardiman’s behalf, and he was given a $250,000 cash bond. If he posts bond and is released, he must wear a steel GPS tether, he cannot go to the sports complex where the event was held and he cannot have any contact with Whaley.
During his arraignment, the prosecution argued for a high cash bond because Hardiman had allegedly shown that he would not abide by conditions set by the court.
Hardiman is currently on probation for a carrying a concealed weapon offense that happened in May 2024. He was sentenced in that case in March of this year, and since then has allegedly violated several conditions that were set, including not being around known felons and not going to a Sterling Heights smoke shop. The prosecution said he was seen in a music video that was filmed at this smoke shop and also noted that he’s messaged people about where he can find firearms and posted photos about selling marijuana.
Whaley’s arraignment
A not guilty plea was entered on Whaley’s behalf and he was given a $200,000 cash bond. If released, he cannot have any contact with Hardiman, he cannot possess firearms or dangerous weapons and he can’t go to the UWM Sports Complex.
In addition, he must not have any further assaultive behavior, and he must wear a steel GPS tether if he posts bond.
During Whaley’s arraignment, the prosecution highlighted that he was seen on surveillance video with a Glock in his waistband and that the gun had an extended magazine.
In an interview after his arrest, he said that he went and grabbed the gun after Hardiman was struck by the car and told investigators that he had the gun in the car and went to the graduation, “knowing there would be people there he didn’t like,” according to the prosecution.
Whaley also has multiple weapons violations from when he was a juvenile, including armed robbery and felony firearm.
Despite completing services for the juvenile case, having stable housing and being employed, he still brought the loaded gun to the graduation ceremony and was involved in that altercation, the judge said as she issued his bond.
Next court dates
Both men are scheduled to appear for probable cause conferences over Zoom on June 17 and for preliminary examinations in person on June 24.
Previous coverage: Second suspect arrested in alleged mass shooting plot at Oakland County high school graduation
Fight breaks out at graduation ceremony
At about 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 3, deputies responded to the United Wholesale Mortgage Sports Complex after receiving a report of a fight happening in the parking lot during a graduation ceremony being held at the facility.
After reviewing security footage, authorities learned that Hardiman and Whaley had entered the facility together. After being inside for only 10 minutes, Hardiman allegedly struck a young man in the head.
UWM security intervened, and the two suspects and other individuals went outside, continuing to fight in the parking lot.
At this point, Hardiman and Whaley did not have weapons on them, according to the prosecutor’s office.
Loaded guns hidden under cars
Hardiman was allegedly intentionally hit by a car during the altercation, which prompted the two men to go back to the car and grab weapons, officials said.
Whaley grabbed a Glock and put it in his waistband, and Hardiman grabbed a backpack, which authorities later learned had an AR-style pistol inside.
A short time later, the two men got out of the car while still in the UWM parking lot and were seen on video crouching behind and between parked cars.
Officials say they threw the guns under parked cars before they fled the parking lot. Both guns were fully loaded with extended magazines and chambered rounds.
Alleged shooting threat made on Snapchat
During the investigation, someone at the event told deputies that another person had told her about a Snapchat message with a threat to shoot up the graduation ceremony.
“At present, law enforcement has not verified the existence of a Snapchat message or the identity of the person who allegedly saw it,” according to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office.
Whaley was arrested after fleeing the scene on Tuesday, while Hardiman was taken into custody Friday afternoon.
“Law enforcement has not been able to verify the existence of the Snapchat. Therefore, we are moving forward with the charges presented by investigators,” said Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald. “This graduation event was disrupted by a fight that required a police response and, rather than walking away, it appears these defendants retrieved a gun. That’s unacceptable and we will hold them accountable.”
The investigation is ongoing, and additional charges could be issued.
“We are asking for the public’s involvement,” said Stephen Huber, public information officer for the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office. “If anyone saw threatening comments on Snapchat or any anywhere else, which may have been erased at this point, or if anyone knows who posted comments or has a screenshot of it, or anything that will give us something to investigate further. If you have that information, please contact the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office at 248.858.4950.”