Another Ghanaian Killed in the United States: Teenager Javits Frimpong Shot Dead in the Bronx ‎

A 15-year-old Ghanaian boy, Javits Badu Nkansah Frimpong, was shot dead on Thursday, 29 October 2026, in the Claremont neighbourhood of the Bronx, New York. He was walking to school. He was shot in the abdomen shortly before 9:30 a.m. near East 171st Street and Crotona Place, and police rushed him to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

What police say
Authorities have launched a manhunt for three boys believed to be between 16 and 18, and the motive remains unclear. The suspects reportedly fled in black tracksuits and blue surgical masks. No arrests have been made, and investigators have not established whether he was specifically targeted. Surveillance footage from the area showed a teenager running from another person dressed in black.

The bullying allegation
His father, Thomas Frimpong, says Javits had been bullied. He alleged that two schoolmates, recently suspended, had bullied his son, and that the principal told him about it only three days before the killing. Javits was described as a quiet teenager who hoped to become a doctor. He had lived in the US for just under a year after moving from Ghana to join his father. Police have not linked the bullying to the shooting, so this remains an allegation.

Reactions
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Congressman Adriano Espaillat and Attorney General Letitia James all expressed condolences. Mamdani said the tragedy had devastated the neighbourhood and the Ghanaian diaspora. The same report says Ghana's Foreign Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, stated that no Ghanaian should suffer abroad without government support.

A second case in weeks
His death comes after that of Dr Kofi Akamani. Akamani, whose family roots are in the Upper East Region, was shot on 19 September 2026 and later pronounced dead. The two cases are separate and unrelated as far as reports show, but together they raise questions about the safety of Ghanaians abroad and the support the Ghana Mission offers bereaved families.

Mustapha Bature Sallama
Medical/Science communicator, Private Investigator, Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Analysis,United States Institute of Peace (USIP), [email protected] +233555275880

References
GhanaWeb, "Ghanaian teenager shot dead in US": https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Ghanaian-teenager-shot-dead-in-US-2059058

Africanews, "Ghanaian teenager, 15, shot dead near New York school" (30 Oct 2026): https://www.africanews.com/2026/10/30/ghanaian-teenager-15-shot-dead-near-new-york-school/

Tribune Online, "US: 15-year-old Ghanaian boy shot dead on way to school in New York" (30 Oct 2026): https://tribuneonlineng.com/us-15-year-old-ghanaian-boy-shot-dead-on-way-to-school-in-new-york/

GhanaWeb, "From Mayor Mamdani to Rep Espaillat: What US authorities have said": https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/From-Mayor-Mamdani-to-Rep-Espaillat-What-US-authorities-have-said-about-murder-of-Ghanaian-teen-Frimpong-2059209

EBONY, "15 Year Old Javits Frimpong Shot and Killed in the Bronx Following Alleged Bullying" (30 Oct 2026): https://www.ebony.com/15-year-old-javits-frimpong-shot-and-killed-in-the-bronx-following-alleged-bullying/

EduTimes Africa, "15-Year-Old Ghanaian Boy Shot Dead on Way to School in US" (30 Oct 2026): https://edutimesafrica.com/15-year-old-ghanaian-boy-shot-dead-on-way-to-school-in-us/

MyJoyOnline, "The last goodbye of Ghanaian shot dead in the US" (on Dr Kofi Akamani): https://www.myjoyonline.com/the-last-goodbye-of-ghanaian-shot-dead-in-the-us/