PONTIAC, Mich. – A jury has convicted two men of first-degree murder in the shooting death of a 7-year-old girl who was killed while coming home from school in Pontiac.
Ariah Jackson was shot in the back of her head on March 18, 2022. Her mother was driving her home from school when an orange SUV pulled up and opened fire on the vehicle.
Ariah was rushed to a hospital, where she died. Three other girls — ages 6, 7 and 11 — were in the vehicle at the time of the shooting, but they were not injured. One of the girls is Ariah’s sister, and the other two girls are their cousins.
Justin Jayshon Rouser and JaJuan Calvin McDonald were arrested shortly after. According to authorities, McDonald opened fire while Rouser was driving. Both men were teenagers at the time of the murder.
On Wednesday, a jury found McDonald and Rouser guilty of first-degree murder, four counts of attempted murder and five counts of felony firearm.
Sentencing hearings are scheduled for March 3 and March 10. Now ages 21 and 23, McDonald and Rouser face the possibility of life in prison.
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