On a summer afternoon in Muskegon, Michigan, the life of 16-year-old JMari Frankwon Harris was tragically cut short. The young man, who was Black, was shot on June 10, 2016, at the intersection of Leahy Street and Holbrook Avenue. His body was discovered around 6:30 p.m. near Moon Elementary School. Friends and family remembered him as a young man with a bright future, and his unexpected death sent ripples of grief through the community.
The investigation into the shooting quickly led police to two teenage suspects. Amir Petty, who was 17 years old, was initially charged with armed robbery in connection with the incident. Another teenager, 16-year-old Gary Johnson, was later charged with carrying a concealed weapon. The initial belief by prosecutors was that the fatal shooting occurred during the course of an armed robbery.
As the investigation progressed, the charges against both Petty and Johnson were elevated. In January 2017, the Muskegon County Prosecutor's Office announced that both teens would face new and more significant charges of manslaughter. Investigators came to believe that the gun discharged accidentally as the three teenagers wrestled over the weapon. Following the new charges, both Johnson and Petty were arraigned in Muskegon County juvenile court and subsequently released on GPS tethers.
