The Government of Ghana has vowed to pursue justice for 15-year-old Ghanaian boy, Javits Frimpong, who was fatally shot in the Bronx, New York, as US police investigate possible bullying, robbery and mistaken identity as motives for the killing.
Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, said the government remains in close communication with US authorities over the investigations and would not relent until justice was manifestly done.
In a post on his official X account, Mr Ablakwa said the Foreign Ministry and Ghana’s diplomatic missions would continue to actively pursue justice for Ghanaians who suffered attacks anywhere in the world.
He stressed that an attack on a Ghanaian anywhere in the world was an attack on the entire country.
NYPD investigates bullying angle
The latest police developments indicate that investigators are examining whether bullying at Javits’ school played a role in his killing.
NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny disclosed that three suspects wearing hoods and surgical masks allegedly approached the teenager before chasing and shooting him.
According to police, Javits dropped his backpack while fleeing, which was subsequently taken by a passer-by. The backpack has not been recovered.
Mr Kenny said investigators were considering several possible motives including bullying, robbery and whether the teenager had been mistaken for a rival gang member.
The development follows claims by Javits’ father, Thomas Frimpong, that two students had recently been suspended after allegedly bullying his son at school.
Police are seeking information from the New York City Department of Education about the reported incidents but have had to pursue a subpoena to obtain the relevant records.
Mr Kenny, however, said investigators had found no indication that Javits was involved in gang activity.
No arrests had been made as of the latest police updates, while investigations continued.
Family members secure US visas
Meanwhile, the Ghanaian Government has facilitated the expedited processing of US visas for Javits’ mother, Madam Doris Adu Gyamfi and his cousin, to enable them to travel to the United States.
Mr Ablakwa commended the US Embassy in Accra for processing the visas within the same day, following what he described as special interventions by US President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor Kwame Mamdani.
He expressed gratitude to the two US leaders for their intervention, adding that the two relatives were expected to depart Ghana for the United States within hours.
The arrangement is expected to enable the family members to join their relatives following the teenager’s death.
Another Ghanaian reportedly found dead
The development comes amid alleged reports of another Ghanaian death in the Bronx involving 24-year-old Joseph Owusu, reportedly an Organist at the Ghana United Methodist Church.
His body was reportedly discovered at a dumpsite by a scrap collector, approximately two weeks after he went missing.
However, the circumstances surrounding his death have not been independently established and there is no confirmed evidence linking the two incidents.
Ablakwa sympathises with family
Mr Ablakwa expressed sympathy to Javits’ parents and relatives, describing the circumstances surrounding the teenager’s death as heartbreaking.
He said no parent deserved to lose a 15-year-old child under such circumstances and assured the family of the government’s continued support.
He reiterated that the Foreign Ministry and Ghana’s diplomatic missions would remain committed to pursuing justice for Ghanaians wherever they found themselves.
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