Jacob Freytes was beside his bicycle when a street confrontation outside a Mount Eden bodega suddenly escalated into gunfire.
NEW YORK — Surveillance video from a Bronx bodega shows a group of adults fighting in the street moments before gunfire struck a 12-year-old boy who had been standing beside his bicycle, according to police and news reports.
The footage has become a central record of the shooting that killed Jacob Freytes on Saturday afternoon in the Mount Eden neighborhood. It shows several men exchanging punches and kicks near Elliot Place and Walton Avenue shortly before one man appears to draw a gun and fire. Jacob was only a few feet from the confrontation when the shooting began.
Another camera recorded the boy running into the bodega after he was wounded. He moved past a worker and a customer before collapsing. Jacob was taken to Lincoln Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police said he was an innocent bystander and was not the intended target.
The shooting also wounded two adults. A 34-year-old man was shot in the foot, and a 25-year-old man was struck in the lower body. Both were expected to survive. Police have not publicly explained what caused the dispute or identified everyone involved in the fight.
Friends of Jacob’s family said he lived about a block from the store and was known in the neighborhood as a child who regularly rode his bicycle. Family friend Jose Sanchez described Jacob and other children in the family as well-behaved youngsters who generally stayed close to home. Another family friend, Jasmine Rosario, called the shooting a tragedy and described Jacob as an innocent child.
The video illustrates how quickly a public street dispute placed nearby residents and customers in danger. Jacob remained close to his bicycle as the fight unfolded around him. Within moments, the physical struggle turned into gunfire, sending people running and leaving the child mortally wounded.
A nearby resident, Alex Peralta, told CBS News New York that he initially mistook the sound of gunfire for fireworks. He said he then heard a commotion, looked outside and saw people running and vehicles leaving the area.
The boy’s bicycle remained at the scene while first responders treated the wounded and detectives began collecting evidence. Investigators reviewed surveillance recordings from outside and inside the store as they worked to identify the shooter and reconstruct the sequence of events.
Police announced Sunday that they had arrested William Ferrer, 45, outside his Bronx home. He faces charges that include second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter, second-degree attempted murder, assault and criminal possession of a weapon. The allegations have not been proved in court.
The shooting prompted calls from community leaders and organizations representing bodegas and taxi drivers for stronger protections around neighborhood businesses. Before the arrest was announced, the United Bodega Association offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. A taxi drivers organization offered another $10,000 for information about the two wounded men.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani said children should be able to ride bicycles on a summer day without fearing gunfire. Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson also condemned the violence. Their statements reflected the anger of residents who described Jacob as a child carrying out an ordinary neighborhood routine when the fight erupted.
Detectives continued working Sunday to determine what started the confrontation and whether other people seen in the footage could face charges. Police had not announced additional arrests or released a complete account of the dispute.
Author note: Last updated July 26, 2026.