EPHRATA, Pa. — A Lancaster County man will serve up to 50 years in prison for his part in a July 2020 shooting that injured four people.
Mark Ivie Jr., 21, was sentenced in Lancaster County Court on Dec. 22, according to the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office.
He was convicted earlier this year of five counts of aggravated assault and multiple other offenses, and sentenced to a prison term of 24 to 50 years by Judge Donald Totaro.
Totaro said he was not giving Ivie Jr. a "volume discount" due to the multiple victims in the shooting, and ordered consecutive sentences for each victim.
“Each victim is entitled to their own measure of justice,” said First Deputy District Attorney Travis S. Anderson, who prosecuted the case.
According to authorities, Ivie Jr. opened fire at a group of men with an AR-15 rifle around 1:30 a.m. on July 5, 2020 during an altercation outside his home on Blackberry Lane in Ephrata.
According to testimony:
- The argument began when former coworker of Ivie Jr. posted a music video on Snapchat, which Ivie Jr. criticized.
- The former coworker, who had been having a Fourth of July cookout with five other friends, continued arguing with Ivie Jr. until the latter sent his Blackberry Lane address for the two to have a fistfight.
- The six unarmed individuals showed up at the residence at Blackberry Lane as Ivie Jr. and his father, Mark Ivie Sr., waited out front of the house and went down to meet them on the sidewalk.
- Ivie Sr. was in possession of an AR-15 rifle.
- A fight ensued between Ivie Jr. and a member of the group which went to the ground. Everyone got back to their feet and Ivie Sr. handed the gun to Ivie Jr. before the father threw a punch toward one of the men.
- Immediately after, Ivie Jr. took off the safety and fired 14 rounds at the group of men, striking four of them while two bullets went into nearby houses.
- The initial gunfire caused the men to run; video evidence showed Ivie Jr. maneuvering around a truck to continue firing.
- The entire incident was caught on a neighbor’s surveillance system.
Mark Ivie Sr., 44, faces one count of criminal conspiracy, six counts of aggravated assault and a count of simple assault at his upcoming trial, according to prosecutors.
