New Bedford Man Sentenced Up to 10 Years for South End Shooting

FALL RIVER (WBSM) — A New Bedford man with a lengthy criminal history has been sentenced to up to a decade in prison for a 2024 shooting outside a South End bar.

Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced that Jordan Caetano, 44, pleaded guilty on January 16 in Fall River Superior Court to charges related to the shooting and firearms possession.

He was sentenced to serve eight to 10 years in state prison.

The South End Bar Shooting

The charges date back to an incident at the Redwood Lounge at 1566 Cove Road on October 27, 2024. Video surveillance captured Caetano arriving at the lounge in his silver Chevrolet pickup. He parked in front of the bar and entered. Later, he was seen on video sitting in his truck when he was approached by a man the D.A.’s Office said appeared to be in an excited state. That man then engaged with a group of men who appeared ready to fight.

READ MORE: New Bedford Man Arrested in Connection With Shooting Outside Bar

The excited man then pulled out what appeared to be mace and sprayed two of the other men as he ran up the street. The group then chased him. As he approached Caetano’s truck, Caetano exited the truck, extended his arm and fired a gun. A gunshot can be heard on the surveillance video, followed by two more shots. Caetano is then seen running back to his truck and fleeing the scene at a high rate of speed, and the D.A.’s Office said several cameras caught his path of travel and that he was on his way to his mother’s home.

No one was injured in the shooting.

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Police Investigation and Arrest

During the investigation, those at the bar and present at the scene refused to speak to police. Investigators recovered three 9mm shell casings and two live rounds.

On November 4, Caetano was stopped while driving his vehicle for having a suspended license. He was arrested and police seized his truck. They also searched his bedroom at his mother’s Spooner Street home, locating a firearm, magazine and ammunition despite Caetano not having a license to carry or FID card. The Massachusetts State Police ballistics lab matched the gun found in Caetano’s bedroom to the one used in the shooting.

Extensive Criminal History

At the time of his arrest, New Bedford Police said Caetano was “no stranger to the police and courts,” citing his 84 adult arraignments. He had also recently been sentenced to four to six years in state prison for committing armed robberies. He had also been arrested again for a domestic matter prior to the shooting.

District Attorney’s Statement

"This is a serious act of street violence committed by the defendant. Fortunately, nobody was shot. Without video evidence this case would not have been solved because of the lack of cooperation of witnesses,” D.A. Quinn said. “The defendant has a history of violence and clearly is a danger to the community. I would like to thank the New Bedford detectives for their investigative efforts in this case.”