Zaakir McClendon was one of five gunmen who opened fire outside the school following a football scrimmage, killing 14-year-old Nicholas Elizalde and wounding four others.
According to investigators, Elizalde was an innocent bystander and not the intended target of the shooting.
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Authorities said McClendon evaded capture for nearly three years after the shooting. During that time, prosecutors said he fatally shot 16-year-old Nafis Betrand Hill on the 2300 block of Montgomery Avenue in April 2023.
McClendon pleaded guilty to both murders and was sentenced to serve at least 40 years in prison.
In court, McClendon briefly apologized, acknowledging that he had been a menace to society and saying he believed he could change.
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"He's a 21-year-old kid, grew up in a tough environment. Somebody who, I think, did the best to show remorse that he could," defense attorney Doug Dolman said.
Outside the courtroom, members of the Elizalde family expressed frustration that McClendon did not look at them while they delivered victim impact statements.
"It made me feel disrespected for Nicholas," said his grandmother, Margaret LaRue. "He's saying he's sorry, but who is he saying it to?"
Family members of Betrand Hill did not publicly comment after the sentencing.
In her statement, Elizalde's mom said that society needs to invest in education, the arts, and work to prevent shootings like this. She and her family went to the soon-to-be-shuttered Academy of Natural Sciences to honor his memory.