By: Richard L. Smith
A Philadelphia man has admitted his role in a 2024 shooting outside an Atlantic City bar that left a bystander injured, according to Atlantic County authorities.
On Monday, June 15, 2026, Carlos Medina-Morales, 24, of Philadelphia, pleaded guilty to second-degree aggravated assault.
Under the plea agreement, prosecutors will recommend a four-year sentence in New Jersey State Prison.
The sentence would require Medina-Morales to serve 85 percent of the term before becoming eligible for parole, followed by three years of parole supervision upon release.
According to authorities, the incident occurred on July 28, 2024, near the intersection of Florida and Atlantic avenues in Atlantic City.
Investigators said Medina-Morales attempted to enter the Cinco de Mayo Bar Restaurant but was denied entry.
After an apparent verbal altercation, Medina-Morales returned to a vehicle with several other individuals. As the vehicle drove past the establishment, shots were fired from a window before the occupants fled the area, prosecutors said.
A bystander was struck in the abdomen during the shooting and was transported for medical treatment.
The victim survived and recovered from the injuries.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 10, 2026.