Crime
One Suspect Arrested, Second at Large in Foiled Mass Shooting Plot at Arts and Technology Academy of Pontiac
PONTIAC, MI – A potentially deadly mass shooting at a Michigan school graduation ceremony was averted thanks to a tip from the public and the swift response of law enforcement, officials announced Friday.
Authorities have arrested one suspect and are actively searching for another in connection with the foiled plot.
According to Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard, the incident unfolded on Tuesday, June 3, during a graduation ceremony for the Arts and Technology Academy of Pontiac, held at a local business in Pontiac.
Deputies were already on site responding to a physical altercation when a concerned individual approached them with a disturbing report.
“A person informed our deputies that a family member had seen a Snapchat post threatening to ‘shoot up’ the graduation,” Sheriff Bouchard said during a Friday press conference.
Based on that information, deputies initiated an immediate investigation.
Law enforcement soon discovered two loaded firearms equipped with high-capacity magazines concealed beneath vehicles in the parking lot.
Sheriff Bouchard stated that the quick response by officers “probably prevented a mass shooting.”
As part of the ongoing investigation, 19-year-old Deahveon Shamar-James Whaley was taken into custody.
A second suspect, 20-year-old Jamarion Jaryante Hardiman, remains at large.
Authorities are urging anyone with knowledge of his whereabouts to contact law enforcement or call 911 immediately.
Neither suspect is a student of the Arts and Technology Academy, which serves grades K-12, but both have personal or familial connections to attendees, Sheriff Bouchard noted.
The investigation suggests that both men were involved in “ongoing disputes with individuals in the community.”
“Both suspects have a documented history involving firearms and violent behavior,” Bouchard added, expressing concern about how close the community came to experiencing another tragedy. “This was disturbingly close to being another mass casualty event.”
The incident is especially alarming for Oakland County, where Oxford High School was the site of a 2021 mass shooting carried out by student Ethan Crumbley, which left four students dead and several others injured.
Bouchard emphasized the importance of public vigilance in preventing acts of violence. “If you see something, say something. That simple act can save lives,” he said.
While the Snapchat threat was seen prior to the ceremony, it was not reported to law enforcement until after officers had already arrived on scene in response to the unrelated altercation.
The investigation remains active, and authorities are working to determine the full scope of the suspects’ intentions.
Anyone with information regarding Jamarion Hardiman is asked to contact the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office or dial 911 immediately.
BEND, Ore. — Rhoam Summer, 5, has been identified as the first reported victim of the deadly shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, where preliminary reports indicate that four victims, including three children and one adult, were killed. The 16-year-old suspect also died, bringing the reported death toll to five.
The shooting prompted a major law enforcement and emergency response Thursday afternoon, October 15, 2026, after Bend police issued an active-shooter alert at approximately 1:17 p.m. Authorities described a large police presence at the school and urged the public to avoid the area.
Information provided in preliminary reports indicated that the children killed were ages 5, 8 and 11. One teacher was also reported dead. Rhoam Summer, 5, was identified as the first victim publicly named in connection with the tragedy.
Authorities had not yet released the names of the other reported victims in the information available for this report.
According to preliminary information attributed to federal law enforcement, four victims died as a result of the shooting: three children and one adult. The suspected shooter, a 16-year-old Bend resident, was also reported dead.
This brings the reported total to five deaths, including the suspect.
Reports indicated that two additional people were transported for medical treatment in critical condition. They were described as a 7-year-old child and a 54-year-old teacher.
The reported casualties have not all been independently confirmed through a complete official victim list. Further information from law enforcement and medical authorities is needed to establish the final number of injured people and the conditions of those receiving treatment.
Preliminary reports identified the suspected shooter as a 16-year-old resident of Bend. The teenager was reportedly armed with a shotgun.
Scanner traffic and early reports indicated that a bystander, described as a Good Samaritan and possibly the father of a student, shot and killed the suspect. Reports also described the bystander as someone legally carrying a concealed firearm.
However, the circumstances surrounding the suspect’s death, including the identity and role of the bystander, require confirmation from law enforcement. These details should not be considered established facts until officials release an authoritative account.
Authorities had reported that the suspect was deceased, but further verified information about the sequence of events was not available in the preliminary reports summarized here.
Bend police issued an alert at approximately 1:17 p.m. Thursday reporting an active shooter at Silver Rail Elementary School in southeast Bend.
The initial alert provided limited information but warned residents of a large police presence and urged them to stay away from the area. Police, fire crews and emergency medical personnel responded to the school.
The incident triggered urgent safety measures as authorities worked to secure the campus, assess casualties and coordinate the emergency response.
Approximately 10 minutes after the initial alert, police announced that a reunification site had been established at Journey Church, located at 61303 S Highway 97, near Goodwill and Dairy Queen.
Families of students were instructed to go to the designated location to reunite with their children.
Parents also received alerts indicating that nearby schools, including Caldera High School and Jewell Elementary, had been placed under lockdown as a precaution while law enforcement responded to the shooting.
The shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School has left families and the Bend community facing a devastating loss. The reported deaths of three children and one adult, along with the death of the teenage suspect, have made the incident one of the most serious school emergencies reported in the area.
Investigators are expected to establish the sequence of events, confirm the identities of the victims, determine how the shooting unfolded and clarify the circumstances surrounding the suspect’s death.