2 men enter pleas in deadly Grand Rapids shooting

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Two men have entered pleas in a Grand Rapids shooting last year that left one person dead and a teen hurt.

In separate hearings this week, Gemir Blakely and Cartier Lawrence-Murray entered pleas to second-degree murder and attempted murder.

The shooting happened April 14, 2023, near the intersection of 28th Street and Englewood Avenue. Police said a man and a boy were walking down the sidewalk when they were shot. Officers recovered dozens of shell casings on scene, according to GRPD Chief Eric Winstrom.

After the shooting, police said 20-year-old Julius Hight died at the hospital. A 15-year-old boy was also taken to the hospital, but his injuries were not considered life-threatening.

Blakely and Lawrence-Murray are expected to return to court for sentencing in November.

A third man, Omarion Dixon, was also charged in the shooting. His case has been set for trial.

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