Hazleton, Pennsylvania - Randy Escoto Arrested as Suspect in Shooting That Injured 2 at Lucky Charms Bar

Suspect in Hazleton Bar Shooting Arrested

Police in Hazleton have arrested Randy Escoto as the suspect in a bar shooting that left two men wounded at the Lucky Charms bar late Tuesday night. Escoto was arrested at his home on West Green Street on Wednesday morning.

Police say Escoto shot two men inside of the bar last night. Investigators believe that he was at the bar on East 5th Street and got into an argument with two other men. Escoto then left the bar and allegedly returned with a gun, shooting both men several times inside of the bar. Both victims were airlifted to Lehigh Valley Hospital Hazleton with serious injuries and were listed in critical condition.

Escoto has not yet been charged with the shooting. Police say that witnesses identified him as the shooter, but others have contacted the department to say that Escoto was not the shooter. He is currently being held on drug charges while the investigation is ongoing.

Legal Options for Bar Shooting Victims and Their Families

Attorney contributor Brian Kent helps bar shooting victims and their families recover financial compensation through a gunshot settlement. Here are some of his thoughts on the legal options these victims have and bar owner liability for shootings on their properties:

Keeping the premises safe must be the top priority of all property owners. Premises liability laws require property owners to make sure their property is free of preventable hazards that could end up injuring or killing their customers, employees, and other visitors. This includes providing protection against the risk of reasonably foreseeable violent crime. When a shooting occurs at a bar or nightclub, it’s important to determine if the owner met their legal duty to keep their property safe.

Some bar shootings may not have occurred if not for the negligence of the property owner, such as inadequate security standards. In order for a bar owner to be held liable for a shooting, the victim’s legal team will likely need to establish that the shooting was reasonably foreseeable. For example, if there was a prior history of violent incidents at the bar where the shooting occurred, it may be considered reasonably foreseeable. If the property owner failed to make efforts to improve security (like installing metal detectors) after these violent incidents, he or she may be considered negligent.

Have you or a loved one recently become the victim of a bar shooting? We want to help your family obtain justice and the full financial compensation you deserve. You can learn more about your legal options by speaking with one of our experienced crime victim attorneys.