HARRISBURG — Attorney General Michelle Henry announced that a Lehigh County man was sentenced this week to 7 to 14 years in prison for a January 2023 shooting at Pagan’s Place bar in Allentown.
Paul Kerr, 30, previously pleaded guilty to criminal attempt to commit homicide, being a person not to possess a firearm, and discharge of a firearm into an occupied structure regarding the incident.
“This defendant, who should not have had a gun in the first place, showed no regard for human life when he opened fire into a neighborhood bar,” Attorney General Henry said. “Fortunately, no one was physically harmed by the defendant’s gunfire, but nevertheless, these incidents can have a lasting psychological effect on those who were present. My office is committed to keeping Pennsylvanians safe, and holding those accountable who put that safety at risk through their careless and illegal use of firearms.”
An investigation by the Allentown Police Department found that, on January 7, 2023, Kerr entered Pagan’s Place bar. The owner, Luis Pagan, who lived with his family in a residence above the bar, asked Kerr to leave, but Kerr refused and proceeded to argue with Pagan.
Kerr eventually left, crossed the street, before turning back and firing several times at the bar. One bullet went through a window, and four other bullets hit the exterior brick wall.
No patrons were present in the bar during the time of the shooting.
The firearm used in the shooting was registered to Kerr’s wife.
This case was referred to the Office of Attorney General from the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office. It was prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Rebecca Elo.
# # #