The New York Post reports that the mother of slain 12-year-old Jacob Freytes has endorsed Republican Saritha Komatireddy in a challenge to Letitia James.
Migdalia Martinez appears in a new 30-second ad backing Komatireddy, a former federal prosecutor running against New York’s Democratic attorney general.
The six-figure ad turns on public safety and accountability after Jacob was shot outside a Bronx grocery store while riding his bicycle to buy a ball.
The New York Post reported that gunfire erupted during an alleged street dispute outside Wanda Deli Grocery in the Mount Eden section of the Bronx on July 25.
William Ferrer was charged in connection with Jacob’s death. He later pleaded not guilty, and the Post reported that he had at least six prior arrests dating to 1999.
Martinez put her criticism in blunt, personal terms. She cited four teenagers shot in the Bronx during one week and contrasted that violence with claims of a record-safe summer.
In the ad, Martinez said:
“This here is my son, Jacob. He was shot and killed riding his bike to buy a ball. Letitia James has time for national politics, just not for the Bronx,”
Her charge goes to the heart of the race. James is seeking a third term after years of high-profile legal and political fights, while Martinez wants public safety placed first.
James personally prosecuted Donald Trump and his namesake company. Her campaign website also says she sued the Trump administration more than 50 times.
Those actions form part of James’s record. Martinez argues that families dealing with street violence have not received the same focus.
“I’m not political, and neither is Saritha. When I met her, I heard somebody who wants change. Saritha is the only person I’ll vote for,” Martinez said in the ad.
Komatireddy met Martinez after the shooting and later brought her to a pro-policing event on Long Island. President Trump embraced Martinez there and pledged to get tougher on crime.
The Republican candidate is a mother of four and a former federal prosecutor in New York. Her past cases involved terrorism, cybercrime, drug trafficking, money laundering and public corruption.
Komatireddy said New York’s leaders have failed to treat public safety with the urgency it deserves. She pointed to James’s nearly eight years in office and the resources of a statewide law-enforcement agency.
“New Yorkers are tired of excuses, tired of being told this is normal, and tired of leaders who look the other way while innocent people pay the price,” Komatireddy said.
She closed her argument by putting the focus back on the family: “Migdalia deserves better. Jacob deserved better. Every family in New York deserves better.”
James’s campaign rejected Komatireddy’s criticism and said the attorney general has made removing illegal guns and pursuing gun traffickers a top priority.
Her office says it has taken more than 9,500 guns off New York streets and worked to stop the spread of ghost guns, which are privately made firearms that can lack standard serial numbers.
James also says her office recovered more than $9 billion from individuals and corporations. That total includes more than $3 billion from opioid manufacturers and distributors and over $70 million from nursing-home settlements.
A campaign spokesperson blamed Trump-backed policies for cuts to federal gun-trafficking enforcement and community violence programs. The spokesperson also accused Komatireddy of attacking James for political gain.
That response defends James’s broader record, but it does not erase the choice Martinez has made. A grieving mother believes New York’s leadership failed to give families like hers enough protection and attention.
Public officials can defend their records with statistics. Voters still have every right to judge those records by the safety of their own streets.
