Ghanaian-American comedian Michael Blackson has shared a painful account of the bullying he endured as a young African immigrant in the United States, following the fatal shooting of 15-year-old Ghanaian student Javits Frimpong in the Bronx, New York.
Blackson said news of the teenager’s death brought back memories of his own experiences after arriving in America from Africa at a similar age. In a social media post, he described the incident as heartbreaking and called for an end to bullying.
“This story broke my heart this morning. I remember being that age my first time in America when I lived in Newark NJ, I was bullied and once punched in the face because I had good grades. This 15 yr old kid couldn’t wait to come to America and now a year later he’s dead. This has to stop,” he wrote.
In a separate, more detailed account, the comedian recounted how he was repeatedly targeted by other students while attending school in Newark, New Jersey, before his mother eventually relocated the family to Philadelphia.
“I got bullied a lot in Newark NJ before my mom decided to move us to Philly,” he wrote.
Blackson recalled a particular incident involving a boy who regularly hung around Broadway Jr in North Newark despite not attending the school.
He said the boy attacked him without warning one afternoon as he boarded a bus to return home.
“I remember one day I was getting on the 13 bus to head home when he snuck up and sucker punched the hell out of me and ran away for no reason. I later heard he did it because he heard I had good grades,” he said.
The comedian explained that he reported the assault to his school principal, who subsequently took responsibility for ensuring he got to the bus stop safely after classes. However, he kept the experience largely to himself and did not tell others what he was going through.
Blackson noted that the incident happened in the late 1980s, expressing disappointment that children continue to face similar treatment decades later.
“This was late 80’s and it’s so sad it’s still happening today. I was the only African at the school so all the kids of all races bullied me on a daily basis,” he wrote.
The resemblance between his younger self and Javits made the teenager’s death particularly difficult for him to process. Blackson said seeing the boy’s photographs brought him to tears because of their physical resemblance and the similarities in their experiences.
“Looking at this kid brought tears to my eyes because not only did he look like me at his age he was going thru what I went through,” he said.
He also urged the parents of those suspected of involvement in the shooting to come forward and address the situation, expressing concern about what might have happened before the teenager was attacked.
“Not sure why he was heading to school at 9.20am but the only thing I can think of was he went outside and saw those kids and went back home waiting for them to leave. Those kids parents needs to speak asap about this,” he wrote.
Beyond expressing sympathy for the bereaved family, Blackson announced plans to visit high schools and speak with foreign-born students about handling bullying and seeking support when confronted with it.
“I will start making appearances at high schools to talk to foreign kids and help them on dealing with bullying. May God help us all to help deal with this. Amen,” he said.
Javits was shot once shortly before 9.30am on Thursday, October 29, 2026, near East 171st Street in the Claremont area of the Bronx. He was rushed to hospital but later died from his injuries, according to reports.
The teenager had relocated from Ghana to the United States exactly a year before the shooting to reunite with his father, Thomas Frimpong, a 60-year-old taxi driver. He attended DreamYard Preparatory School.
Speaking to CBS News New York, his father expressed the depth of his loss, saying, ‘He’s my everything.’
Thomas Frimpong also disclosed that the school’s principal had contacted him days before the shooting over a fight involving his son and two other boys, who were subsequently suspended. During that conversation, Javits reportedly revealed that he had been experiencing bullying during lunchtime and had raised concerns about it several times.
The school and New York City’s Department of Education had not responded to the allegations at the time the reports were published.
Meanwhile, police are searching for three teenage suspects believed to be between 16 and 18 years old. They were reportedly last seen wearing all-black clothing and blue surgical masks. No arrests had been announced at the time of reporting.
Investigators have yet to establish what triggered the shooting or determine whether the reported bullying was connected to the attack. Javits’ father has appealed to those responsible to surrender to the police.
Ghana’s government has also expressed condolences to the bereaved family, while the country’s diplomatic representatives in New York are reportedly engaging with US authorities over the case.
This kid reminded me of myself when i first came from Africa, i was about the same age and i got bullied a lot in Newark NJ before my mom decided to move us to philly.
— Michael Blackson (@MichaelBlackson) October 30, 2026
He brought his son to America for a better life and a year later he has to bury him. America is not the promise land that we think it is. Most of us came to america with nothing so we had to move to the hoods which are more affordable, the wrong hood could end your life. It all starts at home, parents need to talk to their kids and teach them how to treat others. RIP #javitsfrimpong
— Michael Blackson (@MichaelBlackson) October 31, 2026
