President Trump walks offstage to comfort grieving parents
President Donald Trump exits the stage to the parents of Jacob Freytes, a Bronx boy who was killed by a repeat criminal’s stray bullet. Trump was on Long Island, N.Y., Friday addressing law enforcement about his administration’s crackdown on crime.
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President Donald Trump stepped off the stage on Friday while making a speech in New York to comfort the family of a 12-year-old boy who was killed by a stray bullet in the Bronx.
Trump was speaking to the Nassau County Police Academy when he mentioned Jacob Freytes, a boy who was killed late last month by a stray bullet while sitting on his bike outside a bodega.
“In a beautiful impromptu moment, President Trump exits the stage in the middle of his speech to embrace Migdalia Martinez and retired NYPD Sergeant Jesus Freytes, whose 12-year-old son Jacob was tragically killed by a stray bullet in the Bronx,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote on social media after capturing the moment on video.
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President Donald Trump stepped off the stage on Friday while making a speech on Long Island, N.Y., to comfort the family of a 12-year-old boy who was killed by a stray bullet in the Bronx. (Kent Nishimura / AFP via Getty Images)
Before leaving the stage to meet his parents, Trump mentioned Freytes while talking about his administration’s effort to lower crime.
“Two weeks ago, a 12-year-old boy named Jacob Freytes — You read about this one? — was tragically shot and killed by a stray bullet fired by a repeat offender in a gun battle.”
He added: “Jacob was the son of a loving mom and a retired New York City police detective, and they are incredible people, and I think I heard that they may be with us today. Are you with us?”
Migdalia Martinez and retired NYPD Sgt. Jesus Freytas watch President Trump speak about their son Friday in Garden City, N.Y. (Getty Images)
He then left the stage and hugged Freytes’ teary-eyed mom, Migdalia Martinez, and his father, retired NYPD Sgt. Jesus Freytes, saying a few private words to both of them.
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“Incredible. Horrible story. What a horrible thing,” he said when he returned to the stage. “But we’re going after them. These are bad, sick people.”
President Donald Trump speaks at the Nassau County Policy Academy David S. Mack Center for Training and Intelligence in Garden City, N.Y., on Friday. (Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Freytes’ death has prompted Republicans to introduce “Jacob’s Law” in the New York Legislature that would put harsher penalties on criminals whose reckless actions result in the death of a child.
“I gave him a kiss, and I walked out, and we always do a little dolphin kiss. And I walked out and went to work,” Martinez told “Fox & Friends” Tuesday.
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“Around five o’clock, they called me and said that he had gotten shot. And all I could do was try to think of different ways to get here faster,” she added. “When I got there, I just seen my boy gone.”
Police said William Ferrer, 45, was arrested and faces multiple charges, including second-degree murder. He has pleaded not guilty. Ferrer has an arrest record dating back more than 25 years, including prior charges for drunk driving, drug possession, menacing and criminal contempt, according to the New York Post.
Fox News’ Madison Colombo contributed to this report.