Markal Cook, 21, of Chesapeake, will serve 20 years in prison for fatally shooting a 15-year-old girl outside the Mount Trashmore Summer Carnival in Virginia Beach in 2024.

Circuit Court Judge Tanya Felton sentenced Cook on Monday, Nov. 2, to 28 years in prison, with eight years suspended, according to the Virginia Beach commonwealth's attorney's office. A jury found Cook guilty July 31 of second-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.

After his release, Cook will face five years of supervised probation, 13News Now reported.

The charges stemmed from a May 25, 2024, shooting that killed the teenager outside the carnival. She had attended the event with friends and family. Cook, then 18, attended with his own group of friends.

Shortly after 8:30 p.m., a fight broke out in a parking lot near the park.

Prosecutors said Cook fired at least two shots into the crowd, striking the girl in the neck. People scattered as the gunfire erupted, and the teenager died at the scene.

Cook was also shot in the upper back during the confrontation. Emergency responders transported him to a hospital for treatment.

Family addresses the court

Several of the girl's family members spoke at the sentencing hearing, describing the effect her death has had on their lives, according to The Virginian-Pilot.

Her mother recalled that the teenager helped care for her younger sister, cooked meals and assisted with household responsibilities while her mother worked.

"She was my backbone," her mother told the court.

Speaking outside the courthouse, the girl's mother told WAVY that she did not believe a 20-year sentence adequately reflected the loss of her daughter's life.

Family members wore green to the hearing in recognition of the teenager's favorite color.

Cook says he was protecting his brother

Cook told the court he fired his weapon because he feared someone was about to shoot his half brother during the confrontation.

"I shot because I thought my brother was going to get shot," he said, according to the Pilot.

Cook said he had not intended to shoot the girl and maintained that another person fired the fatal shot, according to 13News Now.

Prosecutors presented evidence that Cook fired into the group during the fight. The jury convicted him after a three-day trial.

The commonwealth's attorney's office also noted that Cook had two previous misdemeanor convictions for carrying concealed weapons.

Defense plans appeal

Cook's attorney, James Broccoletti, said he intends to appeal the verdict, according to the Pilot.

The defense has questioned whether another shooter was responsible and raised concerns about medical examiner testimony presented during the trial.

The city prosecutor's Nov. 2 announcement confirmed Cook's sentence but did not address the anticipated appeal.

The Mount Trashmore Summer Carnival did not return after the 2024 shooting. Virginia Beach officials ended an agreement with its operator in 2025 amid concerns about staffing and security, according to the Pilot.

No appeal filing date was established in the available reporting.