ALLENTOWN, Pa. — The prosecution against two men charged in a fatal shooting outside an Allentown nightclub will continue after a judge upheld charges against them Thursday.
David Isaiah Rivera, 26, and Pedro Junior Paulino, 35, both of Allentown, face charges of homicide, aggravated assault and reckless endangerment, according to court records.
Rivera also is charged with Firearms Not to be Carried Without a License, a third-degree felony.
Paulino also is charged with felony counts of Person Not to Use or Possess a Firearm and Firearms Not to be Carried Without a License–Prior Conviction.
After a preliminary hearing Thursday, District Court Judge David Howells Jr. ordered them to face trial in Lehigh County Court.
They remain in Lehigh County Jail without the option of bail.
Allentown officers responded to calls and completed patrols more than two dozen times at or around BKK Lounge since July 2023.Police Chief Charles Roca
Rivera and Paulino are accused of firing into a group of people outside BKK Lounge after a fight inside spilled into the parking lot in the early morning hours of Feb. 2.
Directly outside the club, officers found four three men and a woman who had been shot.
One of those victims, 32-year-old Ivan Diaz Jr., succumbed to his injuries. Diaz, of Lower Macungie Township, died from multiple gunshot wounds and his death was ruled a homicide by the Lehigh County Coroner, authorities said.
Paulino was identified on video as retrieving a handgun from a car and firing it in the direction of the victims.
Rivera produced a handgun from his sweatshirt pocket and fired that handgun at multiple victims.
Club staff told police there had been an argument inside the club and security had attempted to remove the involved parties.
The investigation revealed two different caliber shell casings had been located in front of the club and a surveillance camera captured the shootings.
The case was investigated by Allentown Police Sergeant Samson Wega and Lehigh County Homicide Task Force Detective Kevin Mriss and prosecuted by Lehigh County Senior Deputy District Attorney Patricia Turzyn and Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan.
Allentown officers responded to calls and completed patrols more than two dozen times at or around BKK Lounge since July 2023, Allentown Police Chief Charles Roca told LehighValleyNews.com.
City officials cited numerous reasons, including due-process concerns, for why they took no action to shut down the illegally operating establishment before the fatal shooting.
