ALLENTOWN, PA – Officials have announced a second arrest in the homicide case connected to the BKK Lounge.
In a joint press release on Saturday, District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan and Allentown Police Chief Charles Roca announced the arrest of 35-year-old Pedro Junior Paulino, who faces charges of criminal homicide, three counts of attempted murder, and three counts of aggravated assault, all of which are felonies. Additional charges include unlawful possession of a firearm and reckless endangerment.
Paulino surrendered to authorities on Saturday and is set to be arraigned at Lehigh County Central Booking before being sent to Lehigh County Jail without bail. He is the second individual charged in this case; 26-year-old David Isiah Rivera was charged on February 2, 2025, less than 12 hours after the homicide occurred.
Authorities report that just after 4 a.m. on February 2, 2025, Allentown Police received a call about a shooting at the BKK Lounge, an after-hours club located at 1500 Union Boulevard. Officers discovered four victims who had been shot outside the club, including three men and one woman. One of the men, 32-year-old Ivan Diaz Jr. of Lower Macungie Township, succumbed to his injuries. The Lehigh County Coroner ruled Diaz’s death a homicide caused by multiple gunshot wounds.
According to the press release, club staff informed police that an argument had taken place inside the club, and security had attempted to escort the involved individuals out. The investigation determined that the two shooters were Rivera and Paulino, who left the scene in separate vehicles. Both were identified through distinctive clothing, tattoos, and social media posts.
Video evidence showed Paulino retrieving a handgun from a car and firing it in the direction of the victims. Additionally, Paulino is prohibited from possessing a firearm and does not have a valid license to carry a concealed weapon.
