A 12-year-old boy was fatally shot outside a corner store in New York City while riding his new bicycle. Jacob Freytes was gunned down just before 5 pm on Saturday in The Bronx. Surveillance footage revealed that Jacob was struck by a stray bullet outside the Wanda Deli Grocery on Elliott Place.
After being hit, Jacob managed to enter the store, holding his chest, before tragically succumbing to his injuries. According to reports from the New York Post, a neighbor, Walter Calon, recalled seeing Jacob shortly before he left and advised him to take care of his younger siblings.
Jacob’s father, retired NYPD sergeant Jesus Freytes, expressed that the incident seemed to be a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, as mentioned by his distressed friend, Marlyn Rosario. Jacob was believed to have ridden his newly acquired bike to the bodega, a local convenience store, which he had received just a day earlier.
The neighborhood where Jacob lived, Mount Eden, is known for gang violence. Authorities are investigating whether the notorious organized crime groups, Trinitarios and Sev Side Pinni, were involved in the shooting. Allegedly, a confrontation outside Wanda Deli Grocery escalated into a fatal shooting.
In addition to Jacob, two other individuals were injured during the incident, as confirmed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Mayor Mamdani expressed his condolences for Jacob’s family and friends, emphasizing the need to ensure children’s safety in their communities.
The tragic event has left Jacob’s parents devastated, and the local community remembers him as a bright and respectful child. Neighbors and family friends described Jacob as a cheerful and independent spirit who touched the lives of those around him.