Bronx 12-year-old killed as city hits 50 youth gun-crime victims in 2026
A 12-year-old boy was fatally shot in the Bronx, bringing the number of youth victims of gun violence in New York City to 50 for the year.
Jacob Freytes, a 12-year-old Bronx resident and son of a retired NYPD sergeant, was hit by a stray bullet after leaving a bodega and later died at a nearby hospital, becoming the 50th youth victim of gun violence in New York City this year. NYPD statistics covering the first half of 2026 show 49 minors were shot or killed, with the same number of under-18 individuals identified as suspected shooters. While the total number of shootings declined from the comparable period in 2025, the proportion of juvenile suspects rose to nearly 22%, up from 8% in 2018.
The city also recorded a 17-year-old girl among the victims of a July 20 shooting in a Brooklyn McDonald’s parking lot. Overall, shootings involving any age group reached their lowest level in NYPD history for the first six months of the year.
Why it matters
The rise in youth involvement in gun incidents highlights growing safety concerns for New York City children.
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