A 45-year-old man has been charged with murder in the fatal shooting of a 12-year-old boy who was struck by a stray bullet while riding his bicycle in the Bronx on Saturday afternoon. The New York Police Department announced the arrest Sunday, identifying the suspect as William Ferrer. He faces charges including murder, two counts of attempted murder, manslaughter, six counts of assault, and three counts of criminal possession of a weapon.
The shooting occurred outside Wanda Deli Grocery on Elliot Place near the Grand Concourse in the Mount Eden neighborhood shortly before 5 p.m. The victim, Jacob Freytes, had just purchased a ball from the bodega and was getting back on his bicycle when gunfire erupted. He was shot in the shoulder and rushed to NYC Health and Hospitals/Lincoln, where he was pronounced dead. Surveillance video shared by the United Bodegas of America shows Freytes exiting the store, then moments later running back inside clutching his chest before collapsing to the floor as horrified customers looked on.
Two other men were wounded in the gunfire. A 34-year-old was shot in the foot, and a 25-year-old was struck in the buttocks. Both were listed in stable condition. Police said Ferrer opened fire during a chaotic confrontation, and Freytes was an innocent bystander. The child lived in the area and was a regular at the bodega, according to Fernando Mateo, a spokesman for the United Bodegas of America.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced Ferrer’s arrest Sunday, calling Freytes’ death «an act of senseless gun violence.» In a statement on social media, she wrote: «Jacob was an innocent bystander on his bike when he was taken from his family yesterday in an act of senseless gun violence. No arrest can ever ease the pain of this unimaginable loss, but the NYPD will continue to do everything in our power to seek justice for Jacob.»
Mayor Zohran Mamdani mourned the child’s death in a statement posted on social media following the shooting. «My heart breaks for his family, friends and all those who loved him. Their loss is unimaginable,» Mamdani wrote. «Our children should be able to ride their bikes on a nice summer day in their neighborhood without fear of being shot. We cannot accept this violence as normal.» The mayor also offered prayers for the recovery of the two surviving victims and thanked hospital staff and the NYPD for their efforts to find those responsible.
The office of New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams also expressed grief, saying that «nothing could be more tragic: An innocent child on his bike, killed by a stray bullet.» The office added that «our children’s safety is our collective responsibility» and called for «urgently implementing the strategies proven to make us safer.»
Ferrer has had multiple prior run-ins with law enforcement dating back to 1999, according to law enforcement sources cited by local media. His criminal record includes arrests on allegations of drug possession, drunken driving, possession of stolen property, menacing, and criminal contempt. He is currently being held pending arraignment.
Fernando Mateo of the United Bodegas of America held a press conference Sunday outside the bodega where the shooting took place. He called Freytes’ death a devastating reminder of the toll gun violence continues to take on New York City. «We’re just tired of having these press conferences speaking about gun violence,» Mateo said. «Whether it’s in a bodega, whether it is in a cab, it’s gun violence on our streets.» He noted that the bodega is equipped with one of the emergency panic buttons installed in many New York City bodegas, but the violence unfolded within seconds, leaving no time to respond.
