By: Nana Karikari, Senior Global Affairs Correspondent
The mother of Javits Badu Nkansah Frimpong, a 15-year-old Ghanaian student shot dead on his way to school in New York City, has arrived in the United States to demand swift justice and full accountability for her son’s murder.
Javits was killed on Thursday, October 29, 2026, while walking through the Claremont neighborhood of the Bronx.
The fatal shooting has sent shockwaves through the local community and touched citizens across two continents, with no funeral date set as suspects remain at large.
Mother Travels to New York to Demand Accountability
Madam Doris Adu Gyamfi traveled from Ghana to the U.S. immediately after receiving news of the tragedy, landing in New York City on Wednesday, November 4, six days after the incident. Arriving in New York ahead of her son’s funeral, she expressed profound sorrow while calling for swift action from law enforcement authorities.
“I want justice for my son, that is all,” Madam Gyamfi said.
She shared that Javits, who moved from Ghana about a year ago to live with his father, Thomas Frimpong, held bright ambitions to serve others as a medical doctor. She described his death as a painful loss of a young boy whose promising future had been cut short.
Tragic Timeline of the Attack Near Crotona Park
The deadly assault unfolded shortly before 9:30 a.m. near Crotona Park. Javits was en route to DreamYard Preparatory School, where he was enrolled as a Grade 10 student.
According to information released by the New York Police Department, the teenager sustained gunshot wounds during the encounter. Emergency responders rushed him to St Barnabas Hospital, where medical staff later pronounced him dead.
Law Enforcement Tracks Masked Suspects in Ongoing Manhunt
Investigative details highlight a calculated ambush by the perpetrators, though no arrest has been announced. Detectives noted that three individuals wearing hooded clothing and surgical masks staged themselves in the area before the teenager arrived.
Police indicated that Javits attempted to flee when the suspects approached him, but they pursued him and opened fire. In a maneuver to conceal evidence, the suspects returned to retrieve their spent shell casings before escaping through a nearby subway station. Detectives are currently tracking their movements and pursuing active leads to establish their identities and locations.
NYPD Examines Multiple Potential Motives
Law enforcement authorities are actively considering three potential motives for the homicide: robbery, mistaken identity involving a rival gang, and school bullying. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told reporters on Monday, November 2, that detectives were weighing all three possibilities.
Police have not indicated which theory they favor, though investigators found no evidence linking Javits to any gang. Asked about the bullying claim, Kenny told reporters, “It’s one aspect that we’re looking at, as well as some others.” He described Javits as a studious teenager, noting, “He would come home, do his homework, and then he would jump on his phone periodically.” Kenny added, “But he was very, very into his schoolwork.”
Friction over School Bullying Records and Suspensions
As the homicide investigation proceeds, underlying circumstances surrounding the student’s safety have come to light. Thomas Frimpong stated that the school principal phoned him two days before the shooting to report that two boys had fought with his son and had been suspended.
He believes that incident is linked to the killing, though police have not established a direct connection.
Meanwhile, a public dispute has emerged regarding access to school records. On Monday, Kenny stated that the New York City Department of Education would not release information on bullying reports without a subpoena.
The following day, the department stated it had fully cooperated and handed over everything police requested, though the NYPD would not confirm this and the department declined to say whether a subpoena was served.
The dispute prompted Brooklyn Assemblyman Kalman Yeger to publicly accuse the school system on X of refusing to assist police in identifying the killers.
As the manhunt for the three suspects continues, law enforcement officers are working through conflicting statements and reviewing school records to determine the exact motive behind the attack. For Javits’ family and the broader Ghanaian community in New York, the search for answers remains urgent as they prepare to lay the 15-year-old student to rest.
