Suspect Accused Of Bridgeport Shooting That Injured 8-Year-Old Child

BRIDGEPORT, CT — A 23-year-old Bridgeport man was arrested on charges of first-degree assault with a firearm and risk of injury to a child in connection with a July 23 shooting in Bridgeport that left an 8-year-old boy with an injury to one of his ears, according to authorities.

Jayden I. Robertson was arrested on a warrant Tuesday, and was also charged with carrying a pistol without a permit, and illegal discharge of a firearm.

The shooting occurred at about 11 p.m. on Orchard and Spring streets, at which time Bridgeport police received ShotSpotter alerts of multiple gunshots being fired.

"A few minutes later the Bridgeport Police Emergency Operations Center received reports of a person shot in the ear within the 200 block of Orchard Street," wrote Capt. Kevin Gilleran in a statement. "Police and medics responded to the area and located an 8-year-old child suffering from an injury to his ear. The victim and his mother were transported to an area hospital where the 8-year-old child was treated for a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to the ear. The mother was uninjured."

Gilleran said that the two were visiting family residing on Bridgeport's East Side when they overheard multiple gunshots and realized the child was injured.

"The Bridgeport Police Department’s Detective Bureau responded and took charge of the investigation," Gilleran said. "Chief of Police Roderick Porter has made it exceedingly clear that the Bridgeport Police Department will not tolerate gun violence in the community we serve. In early October 2023, Detective Jeff Holtz and Detective Keith Hanson became the lead investigators for this shooting. They promptly developed their first suspect. That suspect has been identified as 23-year-old Jayden I. Robertson of Bridgeport, CT."

Robertson was arrested last week by members of the Bridgeport Police Task Force in connection with a separate narcotics investigation on Orchard Street, an investigation led by Bridgeport Police Sergeant Michael Paoletti.

Robertson, who remains in custody with the state Department of Corrections, is scheduled to be arraigned in court on Tuesday. His bail is $200,000.

"This is an open/active investigation and additional arrests are expected," Gilleran said. "Anyone with information about this crime is asked to contact the case officer, Homicide Detective Keith Hanson, at 203 581-5243."