A 20-year-old man named Freddy Flores was arrested on Monday afternoon by the United States Marshal Service Fugitive Task Force in downtown Manhattan. He was charged with attempted murder after being suspected of firing a gun on a Bronx street and hitting a 2-year-old boy over the weekend. Flores was apprehended in front of 100 Centre Street as he was visiting Manhattan Justice Opportunities for a previous offense, according to sources. The incident occurred on East Fordham Road and the Grand Concourse, where the boy was struck by a stray bullet in the hip and taken to the hospital in stable condition. Multiple shell casings were found at the scene, leading to Flores being charged with attempted murder, three counts of assault, criminal possession of a weapon, and reckless endangerment.
A previous criminal complaint revealed that Flores had been charged with grand larceny in March 2023 after he and an accomplice attempted to steal checks from a mailbox on the Upper East Side. He pleaded guilty to petit larceny, a misdemeanor, and was sentenced to six sessions at Manhattan Justice Opportunities as part of a plea deal with no jail time. The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office described Manhattan Justice Opportunities as a community-based program that offers diversion and sentencing options to individuals facing charges for low-level offenses and felonies in order to reduce incarceration and criminal convictions.
Flores’ arrest came as a result of his appearance at Manhattan Justice Opportunities for a previous offense, where the U.S. Marshal Service Fugitive Task Force apprehended him for the shooting incident involving the 2-year-old boy. He was charged with attempted murder, assault, possession of a weapon, and reckless endangerment in connection to the shooting. The boy was struck by the stray bullet and taken to the hospital for treatment, while multiple shell casings were found at the scene, leading to Flores’ arrest and subsequent charges related to the incident.
The arrest of Flores for the shooting incident in the Bronx highlighted the impact of gun violence and its consequences on innocent individuals, such as the 2-year-old boy who was hit by a stray bullet. The authorities involved in the case, including the NYPD and the U.S. Marshal Service Fugitive Task Force, worked together to apprehend the suspect and charge him with the relevant offenses. The incident also shed light on the importance of diversion programs like Manhattan Justice Opportunities in providing alternative sentencing options for individuals facing criminal charges to reduce incarceration and criminal convictions.
The details of Flores’ previous criminal record and his involvement in a grand larceny case in 2023 added context to his arrest and subsequent charges for the shooting incident in the Bronx. His plea deal in the previous case required him to attend sessions at Manhattan Justice Opportunities as part of a diversion program, which ultimately led to his arrest by the authorities. The charges filed against Flores, including attempted murder and assault, reflected the severity of the shooting incident and its impact on the 2-year-old boy who was injured as a result.
Overall, the arrest of Freddy Flores for the shooting incident involving a 2-year-old boy in the Bronx underscored the need for effective law enforcement strategies and diversion programs to address gun violence and reduce criminal activity in communities. The collaboration between the NYPD, the U.S. Marshal Service Fugitive Task Force, and other law enforcement agencies was instrumental in apprehending the suspect and holding him accountable for his actions. The case also highlighted the importance of supporting victims of gun violence and taking measures to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future through targeted interventions and community engagement efforts.
