“SHE JUST WANTED TO SEE HER SON AGAIN”: GHANAIAN MOTHER FACES UNIMAGINABLE HEARTBREAK AFTER 15-YEAR-OLD JAVITS FRIMPONG IS KILLED IN THE BRONX

A 15-year-old boy who had moved from Ghana to New York in search of a better future never made it home after being fatally shot on his way to school.

Now, as his father struggles to come to terms with the loss, Javits Frimpong’s mother faces the heartbreaking reality of losing her son while still thousands of miles away in Ghana.

Javits was shot on the morning of October 29, 2026, near East 171st Street and Crotona Place in the Bronx, New York. He was walking to DreamYard Preparatory School when the śh́óóting happened, according to police.

Officers rushed him to St. Barnabas Hospital, but he later died from his injuries.

He was just 15 years old.

A son who had only recently reunited with his father

Javits had moved from Ghana to New York approximately one year before his dєatᩚh to live with his father, Thomas Frimpong.

His mother, however, remained in Ghana.

Thomas described his son as quiet, clever and well-behaved — a teenager who generally kept to himself and rarely went out.

He said Javits had dreams for his future and wanted to become a doctor.

The morning of the śh́óóting began like any other school day. Thomas later recalled that he had told his son to make sure he got to school on time before they went their separate ways.

Instead, he received the devastating news that his child had been shot.

Speaking to local media, Thomas struggled to describe the pain of losing the boy he had brought to America in the hope of giving him a better life.

“He’s my everything,” he said.

Father raises concerns about alleged bullying

In the days before the śh́óóting, Thomas said he had learned that his son had experienced problems with other students at school.

According to his account, the school principal told him that two students had been involved in a confrontation with Javits and had been suspended.

Thomas also said his son had previously complained about being bullied during lunchtime and had reported the problem.

The grieving father believes the incidents may have been connected to his son’s dєatᩚh.

However, authorities have not established a motive.

On November 2, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said investigators were examining the bullying allegations as one possible aspect of the case. Detectives were seeking school records and information through the proper legal process.

Police have also said they are considering other possible explanations, and no connection between the reported school incidents and the fatal śh́óóting has been confirmed.

Three teenagers sought as investigation continues

Investigators are searching for three teenagers believed to be connected to the śh́óóting.

Surveillance footage reportedly captured people dressed in dark clothing and wearing masks fleeing the area after the incident.

As of the latest reports, no arrests had been announced, and police had not publicly identified the suspects.

The investigation has left Javits’ family and the Bronx community demanding answers.

Students at DreamYard Preparatory gathered for a silent vigil on November 2, remembering their classmate with signs reading “Justice for Javits” and “Forever 15.”

For those who knew him, the loss is difficult to comprehend. A teenager who had simply been walking to school is now remembered by classmates, neighbors and loved ones whose lives have been changed forever.

A mother in Ghana may finally get to say goodbye

Perhaps the most heartbreaking part of the tᩚraɢedy is that Javits’ mother was still in Ghana when her son died.

Thomas had to deliver the devastating news to her from thousands of miles away.

The family faced the painful challenge of arranging for her to travel to New York so she could attend her son’s funeral and say goodbye in person.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani later announced that President Donald Trump had agreed to help secure a visa for Javits’ mother.

Ghanaian President John Mahama also said his government would cover her travel costs and provide assistance with the arrangements.

The reported agreement offered the family a measure of hope amid an otherwise devastating situation — the possibility that a mother who had been separated from her son could at least be beside him for his final farewell.

“Forever 15”: A community demands justice

At Javits’ school, students and community members continue to mourn.

Their messages call for justice, greater protection for young people and an end to violence that takes children’s lives before they have the chance to grow up.

His father is left with memories of a son he described as precious and clever — a boy whose future had only just begun.

Javits came to New York hoping for a new chapter. Instead, his family is now preparing to say goodbye.

And while investigators continue searching for answers, one question remains at the heart of the family’s grief: why did a 15-year-old boy who was simply on his way to school never get the chance to come home?