ALLENTOWN, Pa. — A city man has been charged with homicide after he allegedly opened fire on a crowd outside a Union Boulevard nightclub early Sunday.
David Isaiah Rivera, 26, was arraigned late Sunday on charges of criminal homicide and three counts each of attempted homicide and aggravated assault, according to court documents.'
He also faces charges of reckless endangerment and carrying a firearm without a license.
Ivan Diaz, 32, of Lower Macungie Township, died at 4:30 a.m. Sunday at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Muhlenberg from multiple gunshot wounds, Lehigh County Coroner Dan Buglio said Monday.
Rivera was sent to Lehigh County Jail without the possibility of bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 10.
Court records indicate he pleaded guilty to charges of firearms not to be carried without a license in 2018.
Shots followed fight inside, police say
Four people were shot early Sunday morning after a fight between two groups inside the BKK Lounge spilled into the parking lot, charging documents state.
All four were taken to local hospitals, where Diaz died soon after, according to authorities.
Three other shooting victims are expected to survive, police said. One man was shot in the hip and thigh, another man was shot in the foot, and a woman was shot in both legs, according to the affidavit of probable cause filed against Rivera.
Surveillance footage from the club shows Rivera grabbing a gun from his car after being told to leave the club; he and an unnamed second shooter then fired guns into a group of people outside, charging documents state.
Evidence markers on the ground Sunday indicated at least 10 shots were fired during the early morning incident.
Rivera and the other shooter fled the area in separate vehicles, which Allentown police identified through license-plate readers, police said. Officers used social media photos to link Rivera to the shooting through a “very distinct circular medallion” necklace, according to court records.
The second shooter was not yet charged as of 9:30 a.m. Monday.
Allentown's first homicide of 2025
The fatal shooting was Allentown’s first reported homicide of 2025.
State Rep. Josh Siegel, who represents the area where the shooting occurred, on Sunday said he was confident those responsible for the violence would be brought to justice.
“After-hour clubs like BKK Lounge undermine Allentown’s quality of life and our goal of building a safer city," Siegel, D-Lehigh, said.
"I believe in a vibrant and thriving nightlife, but not at the expense of safety and security."
Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk called the violence "unacceptable" in a statement posted to the city's social media accounts Sunday.
"We will not tolerate threats to the safety of our residents and our neighborhoods. My administration, including the Allentown Police Department, is committed to bringing those responsible to justice and ensuring the safety of our city," he said.
