'He Fell Off His Bike': CCTV Footage Shows NYPD Sergeant's Son, 12, Shot in Bronx, Making Desperate Run for Help

The 12-year-old son of a New York City police sergeant was fatally shot outside a Bronx grocery store on Saturday evening, with CCTV footage capturing the young boy running back inside the shop for help.

Jacob Freytes was struck by stray gunfire during a sudden brawl involving six men outside Wanda Deli Grocery on Elliot Place near the Grand Concourse at approximately 5.30 p.m. Surveillance video released by the United Bodegas Association showed the child paying at the till and mounting his bicycle just moments before the violence erupted.

The fatal incident occurred when an unidentified group began fighting on the street directly in front of the young boy. New York Police Department sources confirmed that multiple shots were fired into the crowd.

The gunfire also struck a 25-year-old man in the buttocks and a 34-year-old man in the foot, who were both transported to a local hospital in stable condition. Detectives have not determined what caused the violent dispute or who the target was.

CCTV Footage Captures NYPD Sergeant's Son Attempting To Flee

The CCTV footage provides a clear timeline of the incident. After completing his purchase, Jacob walked outside and got on his bike just as the group of men began to fight.

His uncle, Julio Lopez, explained to reporters that the boy heard a commotion near the storefront right before a stray bullet hit him. 'The bullet went straight into his chest,' Lopez said. 'He fell off his bike.'

Rather than staying on the ground, the injured boy stood up and ran back inside the bodega. The indoor shop cameras recorded him clutching his shoulder in visible pain as he sought assistance from the shop staff. He eventually collapsed onto the shop floor.

Paramedics rushed the boy to a nearby hospital, where medical staff formally pronounced him dead.

At the time of the shooting, Jacob's father, an active NYPD sergeant, was travelling in Connecticut. Lopez described his nephew as a respectful and kind child who was well-liked in the local neighbourhood. 'He was a good kid,' Lopez added. 'He's gonna be missed.'

Local Officials Condemn the Shooting

Local officials across the city have publicly condemned the killing of the young bystander. Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson expressed her outrage in a video shared on X, describing the shooting as an unimaginable pain for the community.

She noted that an innocent child standing outside a grocery store with his bicycle was killed by a bullet meant for someone else entirely.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani echoed these strong sentiments on the same platform, condemning the fatal shooting as a heinous act.

The mayor stated that children should be able to ride their bicycles in their own neighbourhoods without the constant fear of being killed, stressing that the city cannot accept such senseless violence.

Law enforcement officials are currently reviewing the camera footage and interviewing local witnesses. The men involved in the initial brawl fled the area before patrol officers arrived, and the investigation remains ongoing.

The NYPD has since arrested 45-year-old William Ferrer in connection with the shooting, charging him with second-degree murder and other offences.