A 12-year-old boy was fatally shot in the Bronx while walking to a neighborhood bodega, sparking anger from community activists and renewed criticism of city leaders over concerns about gun violence.
Jacob Freytes, the son of a retired NYPD sergeant, was killed Saturday evening after gunfire broke out during an apparent dispute involving multiple people outside a store on Elliott Place near the Grand Concourse.
The shooting happened shortly before 5 p.m. at Wanda Deli Grocery, where police sources said a confrontation between six people led to gunfire. Investigators said Jacob was not involved in the dispute and was caught in the crossfire.
According to surveillance footage obtained by local media, Jacob had been riding his bicycle and stopped at the bodega to buy a ball. As he was getting back on his bike to head home, shots were fired nearby. The video reportedly showed him rushing back into the store while holding his chest before collapsing inside.
Emergency responders rushed to the scene, but Jacob was pronounced dead inside the bodega.
The tragedy has drawn widespread grief, especially because Jacob’s father previously served as an NYPD sergeant in the same precinct area where the shooting occurred.
Activist Questions Mayor’s Priorities
Fernando Mateo, founder of the United Bodega Owners of America, criticized Mayor Zohran Mamdani and other New York officials following the shooting, arguing that more action is needed to address violent crime.
Standing outside the bodega where Jacob was killed, Mateo questioned why the mayor had recently participated in a FIFA World Cup viewing event with inmates at Rikers Island while residents continue to face gun violence in their neighborhoods.
“Where is Mamdani?” Mateo said while criticizing the mayor’s appearance at the event.
Mateo argued that officials should focus more on victims of crime and preventing shootings rather than activities involving incarcerated individuals.
He also criticized Mayor Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul over what he described as lenient criminal justice policies.
“We don’t need to hear stats,” Mateo said, referring to statements about crime rates. “We’re tired of hearing that because Jacob’s parents are mourning their little boy’s death today.”
Mateo said Jacob had entered the store simply to buy a ball before becoming an innocent victim of violence.
Community Members Demand More Police Presence
Miledy Rosario, a Bronx mother of four and a neighbor who knew Jacob’s family, also criticized city leadership, saying officials need to do more to address gang activity in the area.
Rosario said she had recently given Jacob her daughter’s old bicycle before his death.
She said the neighborhood has experienced repeated violence and questioned why more police resources were not present in the area at the time of the shooting.
“Before, there was police on that corner. But yesterday, there was no one there,” Rosario said.
She argued that officials must address ongoing gang problems to prevent similar tragedies.
“This is not the first time this thing happened here,” she said. “If they don’t clean that block there, we’re gonna continue to see the same thing.”
Reward Offered for Information
The United Bodega Owners of America announced a $5,000 reward for information leading to the identification and arrest of those responsible for Jacob’s death.
Mateo called on city and state leaders to take stronger action against illegal guns and violent offenders.
He argued that stricter enforcement is necessary to keep firearms off city streets.
Mayor Responds to Criticism
Mayor Zohran Mamdani addressed the shooting during an unrelated event Sunday, saying reducing gun violence remains a major priority for his administration.
Mamdani praised the NYPD for its efforts to recover illegal firearms but said the work must continue.
“Our hearts are broken right now,” Mamdani said. “A 12-year-old was killed, sitting on a bike outside a bodega. And that is unacceptable in this city.”
The mayor also expressed condolences in a social media post, saying his heart breaks for Jacob’s family and loved ones.
He said children should be able to ride their bikes through their neighborhoods without fear of being harmed by gun violence.
Investigation Continues
Police continue to investigate the shooting and search for those responsible. No arrests had been announced at the time of the report.
Although official crime statistics show shootings and murders in New York City have declined compared with previous years, community activists say incidents like Jacob’s death demonstrate that some neighborhoods continue to struggle with violence.
Authorities are urging anyone with information about the shooting to come forward as investigators work to determine exactly what led to the gunfire that killed the 12-year-old boy.
