12-year-old killed in triple shooting in front of Bronx bodega. Here's the latest on the investigation.
A young boy was killed in a triple shooting in the Bronx on Saturday.
The NYPD identified the victim as 12-year-old Jacob Freytes. Police sources told CBS News New York the child was not the intended target of this shooting, with local leaders calling him an innocent bystander.
The police search continues for the shooter.
Here's what we know
The gun violence erupted in broad daylight in front of a store on Elliot Place in the Mount Eden section of the borough.
Surveillance video shows the 12-year-old on his bike as shots ring out and then he is seen running inside the bodega for help. Police later said the boy was shot in the shoulder and was rushed to a local hospital, where he died. Officials said the bodega did have a panic button inside, but it's unclear if it was used.
Two other people were also shot, including a 25-year-old man and 34-year-old man. Authorities said they are in stable condition.
The tragic loss of life has shaken the neighborhood. Neighbors described a chaotic scene.
"All of sudden, I heard like two gun shots going off. I thought they were fireworks, but then I heard, like, commotion going on," Alex Peralta said, adding, " I look out the window, I saw people, like, running away. I saw guys going into their cars in the driveway and they just drove off real quick."
The United Bodega Association is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the boy's shooting, and the New York State Federation of Taxis drivers is offering a $10,000 reward for information pertaining to the two other people who were shot.
"We cannot accept this violence as normal"
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson quickly took to social media to denounce the violence.
"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," Mamdani said.
"We have to do better," Gibson added.
The United Bodega Association and the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers held a joint news conference on Sunday morning, demanding an end to gun violence in and around their businesses. They specifically singled out the Bronx and Brooklyn.
Anyone with any information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip via their website or via DM on Twitter, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.
