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Pedro Junior Paulino, 35, of Allentown, surrendered to police and is charged with Criminal Homicide, three counts of Attempted Murder, three counts of Aggravated Assault, Person Not to Use or Possess a Firearm, Firearms Not to be Carried Without a License – Prior Conviction, and Recklessly Endangering Another Person, according to Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan.
Paulino was arraigned and remanded to Lehigh County Jail without bail. He is the second suspect charged in the Feb. 2 shooting outside the BKK Lounge on the 1500 block of Union Boulevard.
Deadly Shooting Stemmed From Club Fight
Just after 4 a.m. on Feb. 2, police arrived at the club to find four gunshot victims—three men and a woman. Diaz, of Lower Macungie Township, was pronounced dead at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Muhlenberg from multiple gunshot wounds. His death was ruled a homicide by the Lehigh County Coroner.
Investigators determined that an argument inside the club escalated into a shooting in the parking lot. Club security attempted to break up the altercation before gunfire erupted.
Suspects Identified Through Surveillance, Social Media
Paulino and David Isaiah Rivera, 26, were the two shooters, authorities wrote. Rivera was arrested within 12 hours of the shooting and is being held without bail.
Surveillance footage showed Paulino retrieving a handgun from a car and firing it toward the victims. He was identified through video evidence, distinctive tattoos, and social media posts, police said. Paulino is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm and does not have a valid concealed carry permit.
The case remains under investigation by Allentown Police Detective Samson Wega and Lehigh County Homicide Task Force Detective Kevin Mriss. Prosecutors include Lehigh County Senior Deputy District Attorney Patricia Turzyn and District Attorney Gavin Holihan.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Allentown police at 610-437-7721.
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