Pocono News Section

Man Charged with Murder after Hazleton Shooting

Man Charged with Murder after Hazleton Shooting - Wednesday, August 12, 2009 at 11:30PM EST

Reported by: Andy Mehalshick
Wednesday, Aug 12, 2009 @ 11:30pm EST
HAZLETON, LUZERNE COUNTY- A Hazleton man charged with murder insists he was defending himself. Prosecutors say it was a cold blooded murder.

The shooting happened outside Club 570 on August 1st. Three men were shot. One of them died.

Investigators say Johan Pujols was the triggerman outside Club 570. He accidentally shot himself in the arm during the incident back.

Investigators say this is what happened. Pujols had an argument with another man, Luis Perez Rodriguez, inside Club 570 in the early morning hours of that Saturday.

That fight made its way to the parking lot. At some point Pujols pulled out a gun and started firing. He hit Perez Rodriguez. Another man, Yuery Colon, was also hit.

Investigators say Colon, who wasn't even involved in that fight, came into the parking lot and was warning patrons about a gun involved in the fight. He was hit and later died.

All three men were driven to the nearby Hazleton General Hospital. Colon died a short time later. Perez Rodriguez and Pujols survived.

The owner of Club 570 did not want to appear on camera but insists his club is safe and that the gunfire actually occurred across the street from his club.