Man sentenced to life without parole for deadly shooting of 17-year-old at DeKalb County vigil

A man will spend the rest of his life in prison for the murder of a 17-year-old shot during a candlelight vigil in DeKalb County.

In March, a jury found 35-year-old Kevin Grier guilty of malice murder, felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon or first offender probationer.

According to prosecutors, the shooting happened on Nov. 27, 2022, at an apartment complex in unincorporated Decatur. On that day, a crowd had gathered at the complex to hold a vigil for a teen who had been shot and killed a few days before in an attempted home invasion.

Witnesses told investigators that a man walked up to the group after they had released balloons and opened fire, hitting and killing 17-year-old Ian Hagerty. Authorities say the gunman then walked away from Hagerty and "began pacing up and down the sidewalk" before he got into a car and left the scene.

After police released photos of the suspect, they say tips helped officers identify the gunman as Grier. He was taken into custody at a home in unincorporated Decat on Jan. 27, 2023, and has been in the DeKalb County Jail ever since.

On Friday, DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Tangela Barrie sentenced Grier to life without the possibility of parole.