RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Amari Pollard, the defendant in the Huguenot graduation shooting trial, has pleaded guilty to two charges, including first-degree murder.
According to Richmond City Commonwealth’s Attorney Colette McEachinn, on Thursday, Feb. 29, Amari Pollard, 20, pleaded guilty to both charges of first-degree murder and use of a firearm in commission of a felony during the fourth day of the trial of Huguenot High School graduation shooting that killed 18-year-old Shawn Jackson.
Pollard was sentenced to 43 years with 18 suspended. He will serve 25 years in prison.
Pollard took the stand to testify Thursday, saying that he shot Jackson because he was scared for his life and that he was running away from him when he heard someone say “shoot him.” That’s when Pollard fired his gun, according to his testimony.
Prosecutors, challenging Pollard’s story, pointed to surveillance video which they said shows that Pollard shot Jackson from behind, and emphasized the fact that Jackson was shot a total of six times.
After hearing Pollard’s testimony, the judge ruled that there was not enough evidence for a self-defense claim and that the argument could not be included in jury instructions.
McEachin shared the following statement following the guilty plea:
“I want to thank the family for their strength in this eight-month ordeal, thank Richmond Police, especially Jeff Crewell, for a thorough investigation that resulted in the FBI being able to compile a video from a number of sources that set out a timeline that showed the defendant running around a group of people to get to the point where he could shoot Shawn Jackson six times. This has been a day that the City of Richmond and Richmond Public Schools and public spaces like the Altria Theater will never forget, and the defendant’s callous and thoughtless actions in a public graduation in a public space in the middle of the afternoon are the sole reason that he is going to serve 25 years in prison. His actions and his actions alone.”
Richmond City School Board member Jonathan Young shared the following statement with 8News:
“An excruciating eight months for everyone at Huguenot finally has some resolution, even if still too many questions are unresolved. I pray for better days at Huguenot, everyone there deserves it.”
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney shared the following statement with 8News:
“Today, justice has been served. Thank you to the Commonwealth’s Attorney and the Richmond Police Department for their service to deliver justice to the victims, their families and the community. This guilty plea is a step towards healing for Huguenot High School, Richmond Public Schools and the city of Richmond.”
Richmond Public Schools also shared the following statement:
“June 6 was intended to be a joyful day for Richmond graduates. Instead, it ended in a senseless tragedy that took two lives, and destroyed countless others. We continue to mourn the loss of Shawn Jackson and his step-father Lorenzo Smith, and pray that Mrs. Jackson-Smith finds some closure and peace with the conclusion of the trial. We encourage any students or staff retraumatized by the legal proceedings to seek support from a family member or friend, a trusted colleague, or a healthcare provider.
Far too many children in our community continue to be impacted by gun violence every day. We plead with all of Richmond to continue working, by any means necessary, to eliminate this devastating epidemic and its root causes. We owe that to Shawn, and to all the children and youth of this city.”
More information about the shooting, subsequent investigation and trial can be found here.
This is a developing story, stay with 8News for updates.
