Teen Arrested in Murder of 15-Year-Old Ghanaian Student in NYC Bronx
New York police arrest a 17-year-old for the fatal shooting of Javits Frimpong. Family and officials demand justice as investigation into school bullying con...
POLICY WIRE — New York City, USA — New York authorities have taken a 17-year-old into custody in connection with the fatal shooting of a 15-year-old immigrant from Ghana while he was walking to school.
The victim, identified as Javits Frimpong, was killed on October 29 on a Bronx street. While the police department has not yet released the suspect’s name, it remains unclear if he has secured legal representation regarding the murder charges.
The tragic death has ignited widespread protests across the city and has prompted Mayor Zohran Mamdani to appeal to President Donald Trump for a visa to allow Frimpong’s mother, Doris Adu Gyamfi, to enter the United States.
During an emotional press conference on Wednesday, a distraught Gyamfi expressed her plea for accountability for her son before becoming visibly overcome with grief.
While investigators have not confirmed a specific motive for the violence, Frimpong’s family claims the boy was targeted by school bullies. Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny noted last week that detectives are exploring bullying and potential robbery, suggesting three individuals may have been involved.
The arrest was announced during a gathering at the National Action Network headquarters, featuring civil rights lawyer Ben Crump, the Rev. Al Sharpton, and Ghana’s U.N. ambassador Samuel Yao Kumah.
After leading the crowd in a chant for the victim, Crump questioned the logic behind why a young man with such a promising future was taken from the world so violently.
Ambassador Kumah stated that the arrest represents a positive step for a nation shocked by the news. Frimpong had moved to the U.S. just one year ago with his father, Thomas Frimpong, in search of a better education.
Thomas Frimpong shared that his son was living his dream and noted that although two students had been suspended for harassing him, Javits would often reassure him that he was okay.
The victim’s sister, Millicent, recalled that her brother hoped to become a doctor and eventually join the military, noting that she had even saved a uniform for him. In his journals, Javits reportedly wrote about his pride in living in America and his academic progress.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
