NewsJavits Frimpong, 15, shot dead on his way to school in the Bronx; his father says he had reported bullying several times
Police are looking for three teenagers and, as of 1 November, had made no arrest and given no motive. New York's mayor says President Trump agreed to grant the boy's mother a visa; the White House had not confirmed it. Ghana's government says it will pay the full cost of her travel.
Javits Frimpong, a 15-year-old from Ghana, was shot and killed in the Bronx, New York, on the morning of Thursday, 29 October, while he was walking to school. He was in 10th grade at DreamYard Preparatory School, the New York Daily News and CBS New York reported.
He had moved from Ghana about a year earlier to live with his father, NBC New York, ABC7 and Gothamist reported. The Daily News reported that he arrived in October 2025, and that the day before the shooting marked one year since he came.
His father, Thomas Frimpong, drives a yellow cab, ABC7 reported. He told NBC New York that his son was "always quiet". He told the Daily News that Javits "always wanted to be a physician". His mother, Doris Adu Gyamfi, lives in Kumasi, according to a statement from Ghana's Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported by GBC.
The morning of 29 October
Shortly before half past nine on Thursday morning, Javits was shot once on East 171st Street, in the Bronx, on his way to school, Gothamist, ABC7, CBS New York and NBC New York reported. He died at St. Barnabas Hospital.
NBC New York reported that surveillance video shows a teenager running while another person, dressed all in black, runs after him, before the teenager collapses.
Police are looking for three teenage suspects, ABC7 and the Daily News reported. As of 1 November, police had made no arrest and had not given a motive. Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark urged the people responsible to surrender, the Daily News reported.
What his father says about school
Javits's father says his son had been bullied at school. Thomas Frimpong told CBS New York that Javits told him: "Dad, anytime I am going to lunch, that guy keep on bullying me", and "I have been reporting him several times."
He told ABC7 that about three days before the shooting, the school's principal told him two boys who had bullied Javits had been suspended for a week, and that the principal said: "Javits is innocent. He was defending himself." CBS New York reported that a school bus attendant also said two boys had been suspended. The principal's words are as the father recalls them.
His father believes the shooting may be connected to the bullying, NBC New York reported. Police have not said so. They have not given a motive, and have not established any link between the bullying and the shooting.
New York City's Department of Education said in a statement: "Our hearts are with this young person's family and school community," and said it was offering counselling and supporting the police investigation, CBS New York reported. CBS New York and NBC New York said the department did not answer their questions about the bullying. QMS News found no further statement from the department as of 1 November.
At a gathering on East 171st Street on Saturday, 31 October, Thomas Frimpong buckled over in pain and mourners helped him away, the Daily News reported.
The visa
On Saturday, 31 October, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani wrote on X: "Javits Frimpong's mother deserves to say goodbye to her son in person. I just got off the phone with President Trump and he has agreed to grant her visa immediately." Gothamist, CNN and ABC7 reported the post.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment, Gothamist reported. As of 1 November, QMS News had found no report that the visa had been issued. The mayor's post did not say what kind of visa it would be.
What Ghana's government has done
On Friday, 30 October, Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, of President John Dramani Mahama's NDC government, phoned Thomas Frimpong and passed on condolences on behalf of the President, GBC reported. Ghana's Permanent Mission in New York visited the family at their home, GBC and Gothamist reported. The ministry said it would work closely with United States authorities to pursue justice, and give the family the necessary legal and consular assistance.
Gothamist and MyJoyOnline reported that the minister also spoke with the mother and assigned ministry officials to help with her visa.
On Saturday, Mr Ablakwa said the government would cover the full cost of the mother's travel and would contribute towards a dignified funeral, MyJoyOnline and Citi Newsroom reported. Responding to the mayor on X, he wrote: "The Government of Ghana welcomes your intervention and President Trump's timely decision."
Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the Minister of Government Communications, said on 31 October that the government would "ensure the right legal representation is given to the family to seek redress", 3News reported. That comes from one report.
The fundraiser
A GoFundMe page, "Support for Javits Frimpong's family", was set up by a cousin, with his father as the beneficiary. When QMS News read the page at 05:35 GMT on 1 November, it showed $780,914 raised from 23.9K donations, towards a goal of $1.1 million.
TheGrio reported that a fake GoFundMe page was circulating. The official page is gofundme.com/f/support-for-javits-frimpongs-family.
Javits did what we tell every child to do. He reported it, and according to his father, the school acted. But a suspension ends at the school gate. When a child reports, someone has to keep him safe after, and "our hearts are with the family" is not an answer to that question. Credit to the Mahama government for moving fast; the next test is staying power, until someone answers in court. A grieving mother should never need a mayor to call a president just to bury her son. And to anyone blaming his father for raising him in the Bronx: please, stop.
- NBC New York: "School bullying may be tied to 15-year-old's NYC shooting death, father says" (30 Oct 2026, updated 31 Oct)
- CBS New York: vigil for 15-year-old shot dead in the Bronx as his father alleges bullying at school (30 Oct 2026)
- ABC7 New York: Javits Frimpong fatally shot walking to school in Bronx; 3 teens sought (29-30 Oct 2026)
- Gothamist: Mamdani says Trump will immediately grant visa to Ghanaian mom of slain Bronx teen (31 Oct 2026)
- New York Daily News (via Yahoo): reports on Javits Frimpong and the Saturday gathering (30-31 Oct 2026)
- MyJoyOnline: Govt to fund travel costs for mother of slain teenager to attend son's funeral in New York (31 Oct 2026)
- Citi Newsroom: Javits Frimpong: Trump to fast-track visa for murdered boy's mother (1 Nov 2026)
- GBC: Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement on Javits Frimpong (31 Oct 2026)
- 3News: Felix Kwakye Ofosu on legal representation for the family (31 Oct 2026)
- TheGrio: reports on reactions and the fundraiser (31 Oct 2026)
- Official GoFundMe: Support for Javits Frimpong's family (read 1 Nov 2026, 05:35 GMT)
Every factual line in this story is checked against at least two independent sources, unless the text says it comes from one report.