Javits Frimpong: Video Shows Last Moments of 15-Year-Old Ghanaian Boy Shot Dead in US
- Security camera footage captured the final moments of Javits Frimpong, a 15-year-old Ghanaian teenager shot dead in the Bronx, New York, United States
- The killing drew fresh attention to gun violence and school bullying in the US, with the victim's father calling on police to deliver justice
- New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced that President Trump agreed to grant a visa to the mother of the deceased teenager
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New York, United States - A 15-year-old Ghanaian boy identified as Javits Frimpong was shot and killed in the Bronx, New York, on Thursday, October 29, in a case that has drawn widespread outrage over gun violence, school bullying, and the vulnerability of immigrant communities in the United States.
The teen was shot in the abdomen around 9.30am on Thursday as he walked to school in a Bronx neighbourhood. He was later pronounced dead at a hospital. No arrests have been made, and the killing remains under investigation by New York City police, according to CNN.
Source: Twitter
Al Jazeera published footage, combining security camera recordings, police crime scene video, and street interviews from the neighbourhood where the shooting took place. The footage, which captures the final moments of Frimpong, also shows police tape cordoning off the area where he lost his life.
Javits Frimpong's Father Demands Justice
The boy's father, Thomas Frimpong, spoke directly to reporters at the scene, demanding that law enforcement pursue justice for his son. He linked the violence to a broader cycle of bullying and gang recruitment
"My message is the police will help me to find justice for my son," he said.
He described his son as a quiet teenager who spent much of his time on his phone. Days before the shooting, Thomas said he was informed by the school principal that Javits had been experiencing bullying from two classmates, who had since been suspended.
"He said two guys are disturbing my son, so he has suspended the two guys. My son is at school. He's innocent, so I called him. I talked with my son; he said, 'Dad, I'm OK,'" Thomas told reporters.
Watch Al Jazeera's full report on the shooting here.
The case has intensified a national conversation in the United States about the link between unchecked school bullying, gang recruitment, and fatal gun violence in urban communities, particularly among children of immigrant families.
Javits Frimpong: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani Reacts
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on Saturday, October 31, that he spoke with President Donald Trump, who agreed to immediately grant a visa to Frimpong's mother.
"The murder of a child is a pain no parent should have to endure, let alone from thousands of miles away," Mamdani wrote on X on Saturday.
"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."
The White House did not immediately confirm to the Associated Press that the visa would be issued.
**Frimpong Arrived in the US a Year Ago**
Frimpong had moved to the Bronx from Ghana a year ago to live with his father and start a new chapter in America, according to US Representative Ritchie Torres, a Democrat from the Bronx. Torres wrote on X that the young boy was on his way to school when he was shot.
"Our entire borough is mourning a young man who should have had his whole future ahead of him," Torres said. "Every child in the Bronx deserves to walk to school without fearing for their life, and no parent should ever have to endure what Javits's father, Thomas, is enduring now."
Ghana's Foreign Ministry Responds
Ghana's Foreign Minister Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa said Ghanaian officials in New York are working closely with local authorities. In a post on X, he said the foreign ministry "will work tirelessly with US authorities to ensure justice is secured."
Mamdani added that the city stands with the Frimpong family during what he called a deeply painful moment.
"All of New York City is mourning this tragedy," he said.
Oregon School Shooting: 3 Children, Teacher Killed
In a similar development, three children and a teacher died recently after a 16-year-old gunman opened fire at Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon, in an attack that ended when an armed community member chased the suspect into the building and shot him dead.
Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz said at an evening press conference that Deschutes County dispatch received its first call at 12:59 pm local time from someone in a vehicle who said they were being fired upon by a person carrying a long gun. Within minutes, dozens of additional 911 calls flooded in as the shooter broke through the school's locked doors. A tone alert went out to all local law enforcement at 1pm., and the school was ordered into lockdown one minute later.
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