BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11) – A man who allegedly shot and injured a little boy in the Bronx has been charged with attempted murder and a slew of other charges, Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark announced on Friday.

Freddy Flores, 20, allegedly was firing his gun at another target but instead hit a 2-year-old boy who was shopping with his mother on Fordham Road back in March 2024.

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“Fordham Road is arguably the busiest shopping district in the Bronx.” DA Clark said. “The defendant allegedly fired a gun amid shoppers and pedestrians, on Saturday afternoon before Easter, showing a complete lack of concern for the lives of others. A bullet struck a little boy the day before his third birthday. Fortunately, the child survived this traumatic incident.”

Flores allegedly fired five shots amid the street while it was full of pedestrians and traffic. One of the bullets hit the 2-year-old boy — who was gearing up to celebrate his third birthday the very next day — in his lower back.

The boy was taken to Jacobi Medical Center where he recovered from his injuries, police said.

Flores is facing the following charges:

• Attempted murder in the second degree

• Attempted assault in the first degree

• Second-degree assault

• Attempted assault in the second degree

• First-degree criminal use of a firearm

• Second-degree criminal use of a firearm

• Two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon

• Criminal possession of a firearm

• First-degree reckless endangerment

• and second-degree reckless endangerment.

Flores is due back in court in July 2024.

Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here.

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