Trump paused a New York speech to embrace the parents of Jacob Freytes, the 12-year-old killed by a stray bullet in the Bronx.
President Donald Trump interrupted a speech at the Nassau County Police Academy on Friday after mentioning the death of Jacob Freytes, the 12-year-old boy killed by a stray bullet in the Bronx. The moment came as Trump was speaking about crime and his administration’s effort to bring it down, before he stepped off the stage to meet the boy’s parents.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later posted video of the encounter on social media and described it as an impromptu moment in which Trump embraced Migdalia Martinez and retired NYPD Sergeant Jesus Freytes. Trump told the crowd that Jacob Freytes had been killed two weeks earlier while sitting on his bike outside a bodega. He said the boy was the son of a loving mother and a retired New York City police detective and asked whether the family was present in the audience.
After spotting the parents, Trump walked to them and hugged both of them as Martinez appeared emotional. According to Leavitt’s account, he spoke quietly with each of them before returning to the stage. When he resumed his remarks, Trump called the killing “incredible” and “horrible,” then said, “We’re going after them. These are bad, sick people.”
Martinez later described the shooting on Fox & Friends, saying she had kissed her son goodbye before leaving for work and that the family was later called and told he had been shot. She said that when she arrived, she saw that her son was gone. Her comments added a human dimension to a killing that has already become part of a larger political fight over crime in New York.
“Trump paused a New York speech to embrace the parents of Jacob Freytes, the 12-year-old killed by a stray bullet in the Bronx.”
The Jacob Freytes case has also reached Albany. Republicans have introduced Jacob’s Law in the New York Legislature, a proposal that would create tougher penalties for criminals whose reckless conduct leads to a child’s death. The move shows how the case has quickly moved beyond one family’s grief and into the wider debate over public safety and punishment.
Police said William Ferrer, 45, was arrested and faces multiple charges, including second-degree murder. He has pleaded not guilty. According to the New York Post, Ferrer has an arrest record that stretches back more than 25 years and includes prior charges for drunk driving, drug possession, menacing and criminal contempt.
The speech in Nassau County underscored how crime continues to shape politics in New York and beyond, especially when a child’s death becomes a symbol of what communities fear most. For many Americans, the story is about more than one courtroom case or one rally moment; it is about whether dangerous repeat offenders are kept off the streets and whether grieving families feel heard by those in power. What happens next in Ferrer’s case, and in the debate over Jacob’s Law, will show how far officials are willing to go in response. The takeaway: a child’s killing in the Bronx is now pushing both a criminal case and a political response into the national spotlight.
Frequently asked questions
Who was Jacob Freytes?
Jacob Freytes was a 12-year-old boy killed late last month by a stray bullet in the Bronx while sitting on his bike outside a bodega.
What did Trump do during the speech?
Trump stepped off the stage at the Nassau County Police Academy after mentioning Jacob Freytes and embraced the boy’s parents.
Who was arrested in the case?
Police said William Ferrer, 45, was arrested and faces multiple charges, including second-degree murder. He has pleaded not guilty.
What legislative response followed the killing?
Republicans introduced Jacob’s Law in the New York Legislature. The proposal would impose harsher penalties when reckless criminal actions result in a child’s death.
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