Bridgeport Gunman Gets 12 Years

⏱ 3 min read

Derrick Rivera, 22, is headed to federal prison for 12 years after terrorizing two Bridgeport businesses in November 2022. Rivera pleaded guilty to robbing a barbershop on Wood Avenue and a restaurant on Wade Street, both at gunpoint. The November 25th robbery at the Wade Street eatery turned especially violent when Rivera fired twice as he fled, hitting the owner with debris from the shattered cash register.

According to court documents, Rivera walked into the barbershop on November 11th, waving a firearm and demanding cash from employees and customers. He then struck the restaurant just over two weeks later. This time, he wasn’t just after money. Rivera leveled a gun at the owner behind the counter, grabbed the cash, and fired as he bolted, sending glass and plastic flying.

The restaurant owner wasn’t just shaken up – he was physically injured by the flying debris, suffering cuts to his face, eye, hand, and stomach. The trauma was too much. In a statement to the court, the owner said the robbery and shooting forced him to sell the business he’d worked to build.

Rivera was arrested on November 25, 2023, and has been held ever since. He formally admitted guilt on October 23, 2024, to federal charges of interference with commerce by robbery (a Hobbs Act violation) and using a firearm during a violent crime. U.S. District Judge Sarala Nagala handed down the 144-month sentence today in Hartford. Bridgeport PD, Stratford PD, and the ATF all chipped in on the investigation.