A 15-year-old Ghanaian boy has been shot dead on his way to school in New York, with police searching for three teenagers suspected of fleeing the scene of the fatal attack.
Javits Frimpong was shot in the stomach at about 9:30 a.m. Thursday near Crotona Park in the Bronx. He managed to run about a block before collapsing and was later pronounced dead at a hospital, according to authorities.
Surveillance footage captured an individual fleeing the area in clothing matching the description provided by police. The person was reportedly wearing a black hoodie, black sweatpants and a mask.
Investigators are now looking for three teenage boys who allegedly left the scene wearing black sweatsuits and blue surgical masks. Police have yet to announce any arrests or publicly identify a suspect, abc7ny reported.
Javits’ father, Thomas Frimpong, believes bullying may have played a role in his son’s death. He said the school principal had informed him just three days before the shooting that two students had been bullying the teenager and had been suspended for a week.
Although the father said he believes he knows who was responsible, authorities have not confirmed his suspicions.
Frimpong brought his son from Ghana to New York a year ago, hoping to give him better opportunities. The boy’s mother remains in Ghana.
Describing his son as someone who preferred to stay out of trouble, the grieving father said Javits generally kept to himself and spent little time outside their home.
He also recounted what school officials had told him about a recent incident involving his son, insisting that the teenager had not been the aggressor.
“The principal told me Javits is innocent. Javits is innocent. He was defending himself.”
Struggling to come to terms with the loss, Frimpong remembered his son as a bright young boy whose life had been cut short.
“My son was precious, very clever,” he said
The father, who works as a yellow cab driver, recalled the final exchange he had with Javits on Thursday morning before they went their separate ways. He said he had simply reminded his son to make sure he arrived at school on time.
The fatal shooting has also stirred anger and concern among residents of the Crotona Park neighbourhood, where community members are demanding action to address violence involving young people.
Some residents believe greater parental involvement is needed, while others say more after-school activities and youth programmes could help keep teenagers occupied and away from trouble.
One resident appealed directly to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, stressing the need for more opportunities for young people outside school hours.
“Mayor Mamdani if you’re hearing this, our kids need. They need afterschool programs; they need different programs to keep them off the street. Too much idle time on a young man’s hands means trouble,” a resident said.
As police continue their search for the teenagers believed to be connected to the killing, another neighbour urged young people to stay away from violence and focus on their education.
“Stop the violence, that’s all, stay home, stay in school.”
