What started as a neighborhood barbershop feud in Orlando has now landed one owner behind bars, after deputies say he took aim at a rival shop with a crossbow and sent arrows crashing through glass while people were inside.
According to court records, the bizarre back-and-forth stretched from December into January, with at least two of the incidents leaving arrows behind at the scene. In another, staff reported a loud crack and shattered glass, though investigators initially could not find a projectile. No serious injuries were reported, but the string of episodes was enough to trigger a full-blown investigation and, eventually, an arrest.
As reported by FOX 35 Orlando, the suspect is identified in court filings as Jorge Rivera Rodriguez. He was booked on suspicion of shooting a missile into a dwelling and criminal mischief. The arrest report alleges Rodriguez fired arrows into the competing business twice in December 2025, with investigators recovering arrows both times, and that in January 2026 employees heard a loud sound followed by breaking glass, even though officers did not immediately locate any projectile.
The report also notes that the trouble may have started after a barber left Rodriguez's shop to work for the rival, and detectives pointed to a distinctive orange truck caught on surveillance video as part of their case.
Charges and legal stakes
Under Florida law, shooting or throwing a missile into a building is a felony offense spelled out in Florida Statute 790.19. Property damage and vandalism fall under Florida Statute 806.13.
Potential penalties can be steep. Under Florida Statute 775.082, a second degree felony can mean up to 15 years in prison, depending on how prosecutors charge the case and what the court ultimately finds. In similar prosecutions, defense attorneys frequently zero in on whether the object involved actually qualifies as a "missile" under the statute and what the defendant intended when it was fired, so the state will have to establish both the weapon used and Rodriguez's state of mind.
What happens next
Rodriguez is currently booked into the local jail while prosecutors review the arrest report and court file to decide whether to formally pursue charges. If they move forward, the case will be set for a court date, and Rodriguez will appear before a judge with either a hired attorney or a public defender at his side.
Court schedules and law enforcement updates are expected to outline the next steps, including any upcoming hearings and further developments in this unusually sharp barbershop rivalry.
