Man Faces Up To 60 Years In Prison For Morrisville Club Fatal Shooting

MORRISVILLE BOROUGH, PA — A Trenton, N.J., man was sentenced to 30 to 60 years in state prison on Friday for the fatal shooting of a man at a Morrisville nightclub in 2024, authorities said.

Pedro E. Rodriguez, 29, pleaded guilty to third-degree murder, discharging a firearm into an occupied structure, possession of an instrument of crime, and four counts of recklessly endangering another person.

The sentencing followed a negotiated agreement for the Aug. 29, 2024, incident where Mekhi Norman, 28, was fatally shot, the Bucks County District Attorney's Office said.

During the hearing, Deputy District Attorney Ed Louka presented surveillance footage that showed Rodriguez retrieving a handgun from his vehicle, racking the weapon, and returning to the club entrance. Rodriguez then fired into the establishment where his nephew was involved in an altercation with security staff.

Norman, who was assisting the staff during the incident, was shot by Rodriguez. Deputy District Attorney Louka described Norman as a good father, son, and friend.

Victim impact statements from Norman’s family and friends were read in court on Friday.

Norman’s grandmother shared that he had a smile for everyone. His aunt spoke about the loss of a young man whose life was just beginning. Friends described him as being like family.

Norman’s mother called her son a “gentle giant” with a large smile and personality. His stepmother said Rodriguez’s actions would “leave a hole in our family for the rest of our lives.”

Seventeen patrons and employees were inside the establishment at the time of the shooting. Rodriguez fled the scene but surrendered to authorities later that day.

Rodriguez’s nephew, Kevin Perez, 22, of Trenton, pleaded guilty last year to several counts of simple assault, disorderly conduct, and harassment for assaulting staff before the shooting. He was sentenced to 10 to 23 months in the Bucks County Correctional Facility, followed by a year of probation.