Shooter in strip club shooting sentenced for murdering Good Samaritan, according to prosecutors.
A Trenton man is facing a substantial prison sentence in Pennsylvania for the fatal shooting of a bystander at a Morrisville strip club. Pedro E. Rodriguez, 29, entered a guilty plea on Friday to charges including third-degree murder, the discharge of a firearm into an occupied structure, possession of an instrument of crime, and four counts of recklessly endangering another person. This incident resulted in the death of 28-year-old Mekhi Norman in August 2024.
The Bucks County District Attorney’s Office reported that Norman was acting as a Good Samaritan when he was shot. At the time of the incident, he was assisting the club’s staff following an altercation at the entrance, an event that he had no previous connection to. Surveillance footage played during the sentencing hearing depicted Rodriguez retrieving a handgun from his vehicle, loading it, and returning to the club before opening fire. The shooting transpired while security personnel were trying to expel Rodriguez’s nephew from the establishment.
Norman was tragically injured when he was struck multiple times—specifically in the back of the head, the left thigh, and under both armpits—as a total of 17 patrons and employees remained present in the club. Following the incident, Rodriguez fled the scene but later surrendered to law enforcement. He has since been held on a bail amount of million at the Bucks County Correctional Facility.
In a related development, Rodriguez’s nephew, Kevin Perez, aged 22, pleaded guilty in 2025 to various charges including simple assault, disorderly conduct, and harassment stemming from the incident. He received a sentence of 10 to 23 months in the Bucks County Correctional Facility, followed by a year of probation.
During the sentencing proceedings, Deputy District Attorney Louka portrayed Norman as a devoted father, son, and friend, emphasizing the loss incurred by his family. The emotional impact of the tragedy was highlighted by the mother of Norman’s daughter, who recounted the child’s heartbreak as she still awaits calls from her father, a routine that was once a significant part of their lives.
As District Attorney Joe Khan remarked, the sentence aims to hold Rodriguez accountable for his grave actions, though it cannot erase the profound void left in the lives of Norman’s loved ones. The case underscores ongoing concerns regarding gun violence and its repercussions on communities. Media News Source
