28-02-2025
Pennsylvania man sentenced to prison in connection with 2022 shooting at Musikfest in Bethlehem
A 24-year-old man was sentenced Thursday in connection with the 2022 shooting at Musikfest in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, that left one man injured.
Joshua Colon, of Bethlehem, was sentenced to three to nine years for charges of aggravated assault and recklessly endangering another person, Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan said in a release.
Holihan said a plea agreement was reached due to the victim's refusal to cooperate with the investigation.
Bethlehem Police responded to shots fired at Musikfest's Plaza Tropical section on Aug. 13, 2022. The section of the festival is located at the intersection of Main and West Lehigh streets, the release said.
The man was shot once in the stomach, and he was listed as stable after receiving aid from police.
The investigation showed the shooting happened during a dispute between two groups, "making this not a random act," the release said.
"Despite the size of the large crowd in the area attending Musikfest, no other injuries were reported to police after this shooting occurred," Holihan said.
Colon pleaded guilty to the charges in December 2024.
The festival reopened the next day, but some festival goers were still shaken up.
The 10-day music festival broke a record in headliner tickets last year, claiming Musikfest is the "largest non-gated music festival in the country setting."
Musikfest 2025 is scheduled for Aug. 1-10 with headliners Riley Green and Darius Rucker. Other artists to grace the 16 stages vary from Nelly to Chicago to The Avett Brothers and more.
