LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) -- An Ephrata Township man was convicted of multiple counts of attempted voluntary manslaughter, assault, reckless endangerment and discharging his weapon into an occupied building for a shooting that happened in July 2020, according to the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office.
The DA's office says 21-year-old Mark Ivie Jr. opened fire at a group of men at his home on Blackberry Lane in Ephrata with an AR-15 that they say started over an argument on Snapchat.
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They say the jury reached a verdict Wednesday afternoon after about two-and-a-half of deliberations, all after three days of testimony.
“Nothing that happened justified the defendant in opening fire, trying to take their lives, or shooting at them as they ran. There were other alternatives to opening fire that could’ve been tried and they were not," First Deputy District Attorney Travis S. Anderson told jurors, according to the DA's office.
Testimony showed a former coworker of Ivie Jr. posted a music video on Snapchat, which was criticized by Ivie and led to an argument.
The former coworker, having a Fourth of July cookout with friends, continued arguing with Ivie Jr. until he sent his address to have a fistfight with the coworker.
The former coworker and five friends, all unarmed, got to the home where Ivie Jr. and his father, Mark Ivie Sr., waited out front and met them at the sidewalk.
Ivie Sr. had an AR-15 in possession at the time.
A fight erupted, and once everyone got back on their feet after going to the ground, Ivie Sr. gave the gun to Ivie Jr. before Sr. threw a punch.
Ivie Jr. took off the safety and fired 14 rounds at the men. Four of them were hit and two bullets went into nearby homes.
The group ran off, but video evidence from a neighbor obtained by the DA's office showed Ivie Jr. walking around a truck to continue firing the gun. Neither the father nor the son called 911.
Mark Ivie Sr., 44, is also facing charges of criminal conspiracy, aggravated assault and simple assault for his upcoming trial.
Ivie Jr.'s sentencing has been scheduled for Dec. 22. His bail was increased to $1.5 million.
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