Two Men Charged with Weapons Violations after Pontiac Graduation Mass Shooting Plot Unfolds

Two Pontiac men, Jamarion Hardiman, 20, and Dhaeveon Whaley, 19, have been charged with weapons violations after authorities thwarted an alleged mass shooting plot at a high school graduation ceremony held at the United Wholesale Mortgage Sports Complex. The incident began with a fight involving the two men inside the venue, which continued outside in the parking lot, where Hardiman was hit by a car but remained uninjured. Surveillance footage showed the men retrieving fully loaded firearms with extended magazines from their car and hiding them under parked vehicles before fleeing the scene. Although there was a reported Snapchat threat to "shoot up" the graduation, law enforcement has been unable to verify its existence or link it conclusively to the suspects, so additional charges have not been filed. Both men face charges including carrying a firearm with unlawful intent, possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and carrying a concealed weapon, with potential prison sentences and fines. Prosecutors emphasized that retrieving guns at the event was unacceptable and vowed to hold the defendants accountable while continuing investigations.