In a tense Hennepin County courtroom Thursday, a Minneapolis man was sentenced to 30 years in prison for fatally shooting a 12-year-old boy two years ago.

Jeremiah M. Grady, 20, of Minneapolis pleaded guilty in May to second-degree intentional murder and second-degree attempted murder for the shooting of London Bean on Sept. 8, 2021, outside Grady's apartment at N. 8th and Aldrich avenues.

Bean's and Grady's families sat divided in the packed courtroom gallery. Before the hearing, a sheriff's deputy gave them a firm warning that anyone directing threats across the aisle would be removed.

Shortly afterward, Bean's grandmother Darlisa Williams approached the judge while holding her grandson's ashes, saying that she was trying to fathom how someone could intentionally kill a child. Bean's mother then jumped up and began shouting expletives at Grady and his family. Deputies removed her, along with someone from Grady's family who shouted back in response to the grieving mother.

Williams continued with her unscripted victim impact statement, fighting back uncontrollable sobs.

"He never even had a chance to be a teenager," she said. "All we have is a box of ashes and pictures of London."

Provided by London Bean's family, null
London Bean

Williams said the community is supposed to be loving each other, not hating and killing for no reason.

"I don't hate Jeremiah. I don't hate him. I pray for him but I don't know why he had to do my grandbaby like that. He was fighting someone older than him and he didn't use no weapon."

With credit for time in jail since his arrest, Grady is expected to serve the first 18â…” years in prison and the balance on supervised release.

According to the charges, London was shot after getting into a fight with another boy, believed to be Grady's younger brother, while several adults looked on.

As the fight continued, witnesses told police that Grady — wearing a black ski mask and dressed in all black — came around from the back of the building and pointed a gun at everyone, yelling, "Yeah! Wassup!"

As people ran, Grady fired off several shots, two of which struck London in the chest and abdomen.

He also fired at a blue SUV parked nearby, narrowly missing a teenage girl, police said.

Grady, who was 18 years old at the time of the shooting, surrendered to police about three weeks later.

He apologized to the victim's family and his mother before District Judge Carolina Lamas announced the terms of his sentence.

"I wish I could take things back," Grady said.

When Lamas said he can never possess firearms or ammunition again, Grady was heard saying "damn."