A Ghanaian teenager, Javits Frimpong, has been killed in a shooting in the Bronx, New York, barely a year after relocating to the United States in search of better opportunities.
The 15-year-old was reportedly shot in the stomach at approximately 9:30 a.m. on Thursday near Crotona Park while travelling to school.
Despite efforts to save his life, Javits died after being rushed to a hospital for emergency treatment.
The New York Police Department (NYPD) has launched an investigation into the killing and is searching for three teenage boys believed to be connected to the incident.
According to investigators, the individuals fled the scene wearing black tracksuits and blue surgical masks.
Surveillance footage reportedly captured a person matching the description of one of the suspects running from the area shortly after the shooting.
Police accounts also indicated that Javits managed to run approximately one block after sustaining the gunshot wound before collapsing.
The circumstances surrounding the attack remain under investigation, although the victim’s father, Thomas Frimpong, believes it may have been connected to bullying at school.
Speaking about the tragedy, Frimpong alleged that his son had previously been targeted by two fellow students who were recently suspended.
He claimed that the school’s principal informed him about the bullying allegations just three days before the fatal shooting.
The grieving father maintained that Javits had not initiated a recent confrontation involving other students but had instead attempted to defend himself.
“The principal told me Javits is innocent. Javits is innocent. He was defending himself,” Frimpong said.
However, police have not publicly established a connection between the reported bullying incidents and the shooting.
Frimpong explained that he brought his son from Ghana to New York approximately one year earlier, hoping to provide him with improved educational and life opportunities.
Javits’ mother remained in Ghana while the teenager lived with his father in the United States.
Describing his son, the taxi driver remembered him as an intelligent and cherished child whose life had been cut short.
“My son was precious, very clever,” he said.
Frimpong recalled that his final conversation with Javits took place on Thursday morning, when he reminded the teenager to arrive at school on time.
The killing has generated concern among residents of the Crotona Park neighbourhood, with community members calling for stronger measures to address youth violence.
Some residents have advocated expanded after-school activities and youth engagement programmes to provide teenagers with safer alternatives to street violence.
Meanwhile, investigators are continuing efforts to identify and locate those responsible for the shooting.
As of the reported police update, no suspects had been publicly identified and no arrests had been announced.
The investigation is expected to establish the circumstances surrounding the attack, including whether the bullying allegations have any connection to Javits’ death.
Ezeana Emmanuel
