What started as a fistfight at a high school graduation in Michigan on Tuesday could have escalated into a mass massacre, according to officials.
Oakland County authorities have arrested two suspects in connection with the attempted graduation of the Arts and Technology Academy of Pontiac (ATAP), officials said Friday.
Sheriff Michael Bouchard revealed at a press conference Friday afternoon that officials were looking for 20-year-old Jamarion Jaryante Hardiman, who is presently on probation for a weapons charge. Hardiman has now been located.
Another 19-year-old suspect is in jail, and his identity will not be published until charges are filed. Bouchard stated that the 19-year-old suspect has a criminal background concerning guns. Neither suspect has been charged yet.
At 6:40 p.m., Oakland County Sheriff deputies were summoned to the graduation at the United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) sports complex due to a brawl. According to Bouchard, someone contacted deputies at the site and informed them that a family member had witnessed a threat posted on Snapchat to shoot up the event.
Authorities are unsure of the exact wording of the post because it has been removed, but witnesses stated it read something like “was going to shoot up the crowd,” according to Bouchard.
According to Bouchard, the two suspects, both Pontiac residents, were recognized as participants in the altercation and were seen putting parcels under cars in the parking lot when officials arrived.
Officials discovered two fully-loaded firearms at the site using the UWM security team’s CCTV system. Each firearm contained a 40-round magazine.
“So just those two weapons without changing magazines, had 80 rounds of potential firepower,” according to Bouchard. “Shooting into a graduation, you can only imagine the outcome of that.”
When authorities arrived, one of the suspects, whom Bouchard did not identify, was carrying a pink, AR-style weapon and a loaded magazine in a bag stowed under a vehicle. The other weapon found was a Glock semi-automatic handgun with a 40-round stick magazine.
It is unclear whether the suspects ever attended the charter school, but Bouchard stated that they had friends and relatives at the graduation and “ongoing disputes with individuals in the community.” The sheriff stated that the motivation for the attempted shooting remains unclear.
According to Bouchard, the other parties to the conflicts are not working with authorities.
“While a brief physical altercation occurred inside the venue, it was quickly handled by staff and security, and those involved were promptly removed,” the school stated in a social media statement. “Thankfully, no one within the ceremony was harmed, and we were able to continue and complete our beautiful commencement celebration without further disruption.”
