A man who shot and killed a teenage boy at the Aurora mall in 2019 was sentenced to 35 years in prison Friday, the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office announced.

Kamyl Garrette, a 20-year-old Denver resident, received the maximum sentence allowed after he pleaded guilty to killing 17-year-old Nathan Poindexter Jr.

“Mr. Garrette made the final choice to pull the weapon and to fire the weapon with deadly accuracy,” said District Judge Shay Whitaker. “At some point, pulling a gun and pulling the trigger has got to stop being the answer.”

The fatal shooting happened on Dec. 27, 2019, while Poindexter was at the mall with his family. At the mall, Poindexter ran into Garrette and Senoj Jones, who were both 18 at the time. Poindexter’s family said he had an ongoing dispute with the two men.

The three got into a fight, during which Garrette pulled out a gun and shot Poindexter in front of his stepfather and younger brother. Poindexter, who was not armed, later died of his injuries.

“I just don’t get it,” Poindexter’s grandmother said during the sentence hearing. “Why do some people just feel like they have to pick up a gun and BAM? … I do know our baby is not coming back. I wake up every day and I still can’t believe it.”

Garrette pleaded guilty on Oct. 7 to one count of second-degree murder with a violent crime sentence enhancer. Other counts against him were dismissed as part of the plea agreement.

Jones, a 20-year-old Denver resident, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on May 8. He was given a suspended 25-year prison sentence pending completion of seven years in the Youthful Offender System.

“Fights happen, but what occurred outside of JC Penney was not the natural progression of a fist fight,” said Senior Deputy District Attorney Casey Brown, who prosecuted the case. “This escalation of violence was entirely unnecessary, and it only perpetuates more violence.”