CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Kanawha County man charged with creating a shots-fired scare at Laidley Field in May received the maximum sentence Tuesday.
Jakai Harrison, 20, of Charleston, was sentenced to five years in prison by Kanawha County Circuit Judge Tera Salango. Harrison was arrested not long after shots were heard outside of the stadium on May 2 as a track meet was happening.
Charleston police identified Harrison as a suspect and determined that the incident was unrelated to the meet. Harrison told police that someone was following him as he drove east on Piedmont Road. Out of caution, however, the meet was halted and canceled. There were no injuries.
Harrison initially faced four counts of wanton endangerment. He pleaded guilty in July to one count of wanton endangerment.
Harrison expressed remorse for his actions at his sentencing hearing.
“I accept full responsibility for my actions I apologize for the victim of my crime. as well as the courts,” Harrison said. “I understand that I acted irresponsibly, and could have hurt, or killed, innocent bystanders or my victims themselves. Being incarcerated for the amount of time that opened my eyes, and had made me realize this is not the life that I would like to choose for myself or anyone else.”
His attorney, Justin Collin, asked Salango for an alternative home confinement sentence. He said that Harrison has a history of employment following his move from South Carolina to the Capital City, having worked at Jimmy John’s and two different Taco Bells. Collin noted that Harrison has no criminal history as well.
Harrison pledged that he will straighten out his life after serving his sentence.
“I deserve whatever sentence that the court gives me,” Harrison said. “And the first opportunity I will have to have I will get a job, and work on being a good father, and role model to my children, and be a productive member of society.”
Salango said it’s a serious crime and should be treated as such.
“I cannot look past the fact that this was a crime of violence that placed many lives in jeopardy,” Salango said. “You intentionally pointed a firearm by the vehicle and shot towards that vehicle. There were people in the car, which placed those lives in danger, but also the hundreds of lives of the folks who were in the vicinity at that track meet that ran for their lives and were scared that there was an active shooter nearby.”
While she “commends” Harrison for a clean record in the past, Salango said his actions were uncalled for and scary.
“I don’t know what made you make that decision to resort to violence, to resort to pointing your firearm at someone who was, by your words, ‘following you,’ I guess, ‘following you too closely in a vehicle,'” Salango said. “But that is not the appropriate response when someone is following you too closely in a vehicle.”
Salango said she hopes Harrison can follow through on becoming a “productive member of society” and a father, but there’s no overlooking the facts of the case.
“There’s also a punishment aspect to crimes, and for a crime like this, I cannot sentence you to an alternative sentence,” Salango said. “I find that this is not an appropriate matter to place you on an alternative sentence.”
Harrison will be given credit for 130 days served. He has 30 days to appeal the sentence.