New Bedford Man Sentenced in Fatal Fall River Bar Shooting

FALL RIVER (WBSM) — A New Bedford man has been sentenced to state prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter and carrying a firearm without a license.

According to Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III, Anthony Miranda-Lizardi, 39, pleaded guilty in Fall River Superior Court on March 20 to the charges.

He was sentenced to three years and five months (deemed served), followed by an additional 10 to 20 years in state prison.

What Happened Inside the Riverside Bar

The charges date back to October 9, 2022, when Fall River Police were dispatched to the Riverside Bar and Lounge, located at 31 Rodman Street, at about 1:30 a.m. for a report of a fight with one person shot.

Police arrived and found the victim, Jose Solorzano Zelaya, 44, suffering from a gunshot wound to the right side of his body. He died as a result of the injury. Surveillance video and eyewitness statements led police to determine a fight began inside the bar that involved Miranda-Lizardi and four other men.

Surveillance Video Reveals Escalation

Miranda-Lizardi was seen on surveillance video taking out a firearm, pointing it at an unknown individual, and striking him while he was involved in a fight with one of Miranda-Lizardi’s associates inside the bar. Miranda-Lizardi and a second man were then pushed out of the bar by bouncers.

How the Victim Became Involved

However, Miranda-Lizardi was able to re-enter the bar a second time, but was forced back out when the bouncer saw he still had his gun. During this time, Solorzano Zelaya was watching the fight through a window outside the bar.

One of Miranda-Lizardi’s associates then tried to remove a chair from the bar to use as a weapon against the individuals outside the bar. Solorzano Zelaya attempted to help one of the bouncers take the chair away from the associate, identified as Luis Colon Delgado. This angered Colon Delgado, and he and two others began striking Solorzano Zelaya. Miranda-Lizardi then went over to assist his friends and struck Solorzano Zelaya twice with his firearm.

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However, because his finger was near the trigger, the gun went off and Solorzano Zelaya was shot. Everyone involved then fled in a motor vehicle. Colon Delgado was apprehended by police, and admitted to starting the fight inside the bar and being first to go after the victim outside the bar. He identified Anthony Miranda-Lizardi as the man with the firearm during the incident.

District Attorney’s Response

"The defendant became involved in a fight inside the bar and escalated the conflict by pulling out a loaded gun and striking the victim twice in the head. The gun discharged the second time, killing the victim,” D.A. Quinn said. “The defendant is a career criminal who killed an innocent man for no reason. He is a clear danger to the community.”