GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A fifth person has been charged in the shooting death of 17-year-old James King.
Sebastian Quinones, 17, was charged with open murder, armed robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery. He was arraigned Thursday afternoon in Grand Rapids District Court.
King, an East Kentwood High School senior, was shot and killed in the parking lot of the Towne & Country Shopping Center at Kalamazoo Avenue SE and 44th Street SE on Jan. 13.
Ahmed Hasan, a junior at East Kentwood High, was the first to be arrested in connection to the murder. He was formally charged Wednesday.
He and three co-defendants, identified as Kayleb Douglas Sims, 17, Alanah Faith Claflin, 18 and Israel Valdez, 17, are being charged with open murder, assault with intent to rob while armed and conspiracy to commit armed robbery.
Hasan was originally charged with armed robbery, but Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker said that charge has been amended to assault with intent to rob.
Police said that Claflin tried to destroy evidence after the shooting occurred. She was arraigned on Friday afternoon.
Valdez, the accused gunman, was arraigned Saturday morning on multiple charges, including open murder.
Court documents indicate that Valdez and Claflin set-up a marijuana deal with King on social media, and "the intent of the group was to commit a robbery of marijuana from King."
Hasan told police he drove Claflin, Valdez and Sims to the shopping center in his Dodge Magnum. According to court documents, Hasan said the three of them knew Valdez had a handgun with him in the car. Before the group got to the meet-up location, Hasan said he got out of the car and Sims took over as the driver.
King's cousin said Hasan got out of the car to make room for King in the back seat. They stood together just outside the car, before King's cousin said he realized something was wrong.
Court documents filed last week said Valdez tried stealing the marijuana from King. The two began fighting before Valdez allegedly shot King once in the face, killing him.
After King was shot, he was pushed out of the car. Police said the suspects then fled the area.
The five individuals face up to life in prison if convicted.
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