5 defendants found guilty in the shooting of 4-year-old Suni Bell sentenced to life, no parole

TAMPA, Fla. — The five men convicted in the 2021 shooting death of 4-year-old Suni Bell received life sentences with no parole on Wednesday morning in Hillsborough County Court.

WATCH: 5 defendants found guilty in the shooting of 4-year-old Suni Bell sentenced to life, no parole

Quandarious Hammond, Zvante Sampson, Jaylin Bedward, Andrew Thompson, and James Denson appeared before a judge for sentencing Wednesday. Each man was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on first-degree murder charges. The judge also imposed additional sentences ranging from 15 to 30 years on related charges including conspiracy and weapons violations.

Last month, a jury found all five guilty of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and shooting at or within a vehicle.

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The sentencing hearing featured tearful testimony from Bell's family members, who described the devastating impact of losing the young girl to gun violence.

"She was four. She's gone," said Drial Bell, the victim's grandmother. "Your family get to still come in the court, the jailhouse and see y'all, hug y'all, touch y'all. We have to wait till judgment day to see my grandbaby."

Bell's grandmother addressed the defendants directly, expressing both anger and forgiveness while urging them to use their time in prison to educate others about the consequences of gun violence.

"I'm praying for your family, and I'm also going to uplift y'all in prayer as well," she said. "But guess what? Your parents, your family, could go sign in to see y'all every day. Guess what we got to do? We have to wait till judgment day to see my grandbaby."

The victim's uncle also spoke, encouraging the defendants to pursue education while incarcerated and to discourage others from gun violence.

"Y'all got 20 or 25 years or whatever to think about this. Tell your friends to put these damn guns down," he said. "You're destroying families with shit that you're doing, don't even know what you're doing."

Mary Harrison, Bell's mother, expressed her ongoing pain while also extending forgiveness to the defendants.

"I know you guys probably did not mean to do it, but the outcome it did happen," Harrison said. "I feel for you. My heart goes out to all y'all, and we'll be praying for y'all."

LaShaun Tims, representing 813 Stop the Violence, addressed the court about the broader impact of gun violence in the community.

"We got to remember that in this life, if you take a life, you get life," Tims said. "Maybe this here will make others think about it."

Defense attorneys noted that several defendants had no prior criminal history and asked for consideration of character letters submitted on their behalf. However, the judge emphasized that the law required mandatory life sentences for the murder conviction.

"You don't get to do what you do and what you did and walk amongst us," the judge said during sentencing. "Nobody puts you in prison. You put yourselves there."

The judge described the case as "a cautionary tale for everybody who's paying attention" about making decisions without considering consequences.

"There are no winners. You've destroyed two sets of families, both sides of this equation. Nobody wins, everybody loses," the judge said.

Prosecutors said the men targeted the silver Infiniti carrying Suni, her mother, and uncle along Hillsborough Avenue in Tampa, pursuing the family in multiple cars before opening fire. One of the bullets struck and killed Suni, while the adults escaped uninjured.

FULL COVERAGE: Suni Bell Murder Trial

The State Attorney’s Office said they have worked closely with Suni’s family throughout the case, highlighting her bright personality, love of singing and dancing in church, and devotion to her family.

Tampa Bay 28 reporter Jada Williams spoke to Bell's family following the sentencing.

The family expressed a mixture of relief and continued grief.

They emphasized both justice and forgiveness in an emotional conversation.

Drial Bell said the family could finally "breathe" and "smile" after years of uncertainty during the legal proceedings.

"We're at ease. We're at peace. Now we can finally say it's justice," Bell said. "When the trial was first going on, it wasn't justice. It was just us getting up every morning, coming to the courthouse. We didn't know what was at the end of that road."

The grandmother of 16 children, including Suni, described the profound impact of losing the young girl, whose name reflected her bright personality.

"Her name speaks for herself, Suni. She's the world. She was everybody's sunny like she shined that whenever she go in the room, she shine," Bell said. "Huge loss for our family, huge loss for my grandkids, because they're so inseparable."

Despite their pain, family members expressed forgiveness toward the five defendants and sympathy for their families.

"The forgiveness because the God I serve, you know, he's a jealous God. He's a just God. And he said, Forgive, but don't forget," Bell said. "I forgive him. But y'all have to ride this road."

Mary Harrison, Suni's mother, echoed those sentiments while describing her relief at the verdict.

"My heart just goes out to them, like, I'll be praying for them and they family," Harrison said. "I just want them to, like, do better, like, Y'all, they got kids as well. I just want them to be able to teach their kids to put the guns down and get a book, get a Bible, pray."

Brenia Harrison, Suni's other grandmother, described the four-year wait for justice as emotionally exhausting, saying she cried "every night, every day" while praying for resolution.

"Four years is a long time. She eight now," Harrison said, referring to how old Suni would be today.

The family emphasized that while they received justice, both sides suffered losses in the case.

"Today was awesome. But it was hard feeling, though it was both sides lost," Bell said. "We won, but we lost to and their family. My heart goes out to their family as well."

LaShaun Tims used the sentencing as a message to the community about the consequences of gun violence.

"In this city in 813, Tampa, Florida, we will not tolerate gun violence," Tims said. "Justice will be served in Tampa."

Family members directed their message particularly toward young people who might be considering violence.

"If you have it in your heart or in your mind right now, so go out and do something you're going to regret. Think about it. Put the guns down. Pick the Bible up," Bell said.

The family described Sonny as a vibrant child who loved LOL dolls, singing, dancing and spending time with her cousins, whom she considered siblings. Bell noted that all her grandchildren are involved in church activities and youth ministry.

"All of them know God. All of them sing in the choir. I'm over the youth ministry," Bell said.

Harrison, who still has one son at home along with stepchildren, said she continues healing while focusing on caring for her remaining family.

"I got my son, so he keep me going long as I go to work every day, and he is well taken care of," Harrison said.

The family acknowledged that while justice was served, it cannot bring back their loved one.

"It won't bring her back, but like I was saying earlier, it's sad because both families lost," Bell said. "We can't see our grandbaby. I can't see my granddaughter until God calls me home."

All defendants were appointed public defenders for their appeals.

The sentences include 25-year minimum mandatory terms on the murder charges and 20-year minimum mandatory terms on related life sentences for other counts.