A Lancaster man will serve 14 to 28 years in prison after pleading guilty to shooting a man during a fight on the 400 block of South Duke Street in February 2024, prosecutors said Monday.
Miguel Camacho Jr., 43, fired a shot at the victim as he ran from the scuffle, striking the man in the leg and shattering his femur. The victim told the court he now suffers from a permanent limp and lingering pain.
The motive behind the shooting remains unclear. “Whatever his motives,” said First Assistant District Attorney Travis Anderson, “it was an entirely senseless act.”
The victim told the court he was returning home after buying candy when Camacho allegedly ambushed him. Multiple eyewitnesses saw the confrontation, and surveillance video captured Camacho fighting the victim before drawing a gun and firing. Footage from the Lancaster Safety Coalition showed Camacho fleeing the scene on foot.
Before sentencing, Camacho apologized to the victim but added, “you know that you weren’t innocent.” He attempted to explain his actions as impulsive and unintended, but Judge Dennis Reinaker disputed his claims, asking, “What were you thinking to bring a firearm into the mix?”
Prosecutors noted that Camacho did not have a valid license to carry the gun and was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a prior felony drug conviction.
