Ja’hsir Kahseem Legare in 2024. SUN-GAZETTE FILE PHOTO

Ja’hsir Kahseem Legare, the accused gunman in the March 2, 2024 shooting at T.G.I. Friday in Loyalsock Township that claimed the life of 15-year-old Ahmeen Palmer, pleaded guilty Monday to the fatal shooting and illegally carrying a firearm, a sentence to be imposed Sept. 15 that could be no less than 7 ½ years and no more than 15 years.

Legare, who was 18 at the time of the shooting, appeared with his attorney Robert Hoffa, before Judge William Carlucci and a relatively filled courtroom. Lycoming County District Attorney Tom Marino was prosecutor.

The plea was for Count 1 Voluntary Manslaughter and Ct. 4 Illegally Carrying a Firearm.

“I’m good. How are you, sir,” Legare replied to the judge when he asked how he was doing.

Carlucci implicitly asked Legare if he understood that he had certain rights and explained to Legare that he had the right to take this to a trial.

The sentence for count one was not less than 66 months or more than 122 months and for count four it was not less than 24 months and no more than 48 months. The sentence is consecutive and is for state prison.

Hoffa said had the case gone to a trial he would have argued self-defense as a motive for the shooting. Marino said his office accepted the plea agreement.

Marino described this as a “complicated case.” He said there were “two separate gangs,” “guns” and an intention to “hurt” individuals.

Marino said the case spoke to a broader problem law enforcement and the public are facing and that is there are too many youths getting into gangs and gang violence – many of these youths are ages 13, 14 and 15.

“We had a death here,” he said, and while this is a plea agreement the “defendant is looking at a lot of time in prison – it will be up to the judge.”

Originally charged with criminal homicide, aggravated assault, carrying a firearm without a license, possession of a firearm without a license, possession of an instrument of crime, possession of a weapon, recklessly endangering another person, criminal mischief and criminal use of a communication facility after being apprehended at a house in Milton in Northumberland County almost a year to the day of the night time slaying.

No bail is set in the case.

In the context of sentencing, Carlucci said he could understand Marino’s description of this case being complicated. He noted how before becoming a judge he served for 3 ½ years as assistant district attorney and he understood how the prosecution, when presenting a case and knowing there were facts in both directions, causes the Commonwealth to have to look at the case in two different directions.

According to preliminary hearing testimony of the case, the shooting was the result of a confrontation two weeks prior during which Palmer allegedly slapped Legare’s then-13-year-old brother across the face.

On the night of the shooting, Palmer, along with four friends, and Legare’s 13-year-old brother, also with friends in tow, were at the restaurant for separate celebrations.

After receiving a call from Legare informing of Palmer’s presence, his mother, Johneice Francin Legare, of Williamsport, picked him up and proceeded to the restaurant.

A short time later, Ibn Hakiem Hunter, then 20, also charged in connection with the shooting, arrived and asked for money to pay for his ride (Uber).

Both parties of youths exited the restaurant, and Johneice accosted Palmer, asking him why he had slapped her son, she testified at a preliminary hearing.

Palmer allegedly stated he had done so because her son was “showing off in front of the girls,” Johneice testified.

“Well, you can fight my son one-on-one,” Johneice told Palmer, she testified. Her son, however, did not want to fight, she said.

There was no exchange of words between the two groups, she testified.

Johneice said she asked Palmer how the two could quash the feud, however, Palmer and Hunter, of Scotch Plains, N.J., soon became involved in a verbal altercation, trading insults, she testified.

“We can take this to town and bang it out,” Palmer allegedly said to Hunter as he reached for the waistband of his pants, Johneice testified.

It was then that Ja’hsir Legare, who was standing next to his mother, began firing at Palmer, who spun around as he was struck, Johneice testified.

Palmer was pronounced dead at 8:10 p.m. of multiple gunshot wounds at UPMC Williamsport, according to Lycoming County Coroner Charles Kiessling Jr..

Three bullets struck Palmer, including one that impacted his right thigh, clipped his femoral vein and came to rest in his left lung.

Another bullet entered the back of Palmer’s head in an upward motion. The third bullet struck the rear of Palmer’s left thigh, Kiessling said.

A firearm was found under Palmer’s body, state trooper Brian Siebert testified at the preliminary hearing, though he could not recall the caliber or if any gunshot residue was found on him.

Johneice testified that she did not see a gun prior to the shots being fired, and did not hear any exchanges between Ja’hsir and Hunter referencing a gun.

Following the shooting, Johneice and the 13-year-old fled from the restaurant, later picking up Ja’hsir and another youth living with the family, and traveled to Philadelphia, the mother testified. Along the way, Ja’hsir threw both his and Hunter’s cell phones from the vehicle.

The gun fired by Ja’hsir has never been recovered, Siebert testified.

Johneice Legare is currently awaiting trial on two counts each of criminal attempted aggravated assault, hindering apprehension or prosecution – harboring or concealing, hindering apprehension or prosecution – providing aid, criminal attempted criminal mischief, and one count each of criminal use of a communication facility, possession of an instrument of crime, criminal attempted possession of a weapon, endangering another person, criminal attempted murder of the first degree and criminal conspiracy in aiding aggravated assault in connection with the case.

Hunter, meanwhile, was charged with disorderly conduct – engaging in fighting, hindering apprehension, riot and obstructing the administration of law, and is scheduled for a guilty plea hearing on Oct. 2.