Fifteen-year-old Javits Frimpong was fatally shot Thursday morning near Crotona Park in the Bronx while on his way to school, marking the tragic end of his first year living in the United States after immigrating from Ghana.
Three Masked Suspects Ambush Teenager Near Crotona Park
The shooting took place around 9:24 a.m. on Thursday, October 29, 2026, near Crotona Place and East 171st Street in the Bronx. According to police, the teenager was the intended target of three masked males.
Surveillance footage and video obtained by reporters show the teenager running down the sidewalk in a brown hoodie while being trailed by someone dressed in all black before both moved off screen.
Residents from a nearby homeless shelter heard the single gunshot and rushed outside to find the boy bleeding on the street near a parked Nissan.
Javits was transported to a local hospital, where he underwent surgery. He succumbed to his injuries after emergency surgery could not save him.
Father Mourns Slain Son One Year After Arrival From Ghana
Thomas Frimpong, a yellow cab driver who immigrated to New York City around 2000, had brought his son to the United States just one year prior to reunite and start a new life. The father recounted that the morning of the shooting marked one year of being in New York after arriving from Ghana.
Thomas Frimpong said that after receiving a call from the principal that Javits had been shot, he rushed to the hospital to be by his side.
Described by his father as clever and quiet, Javits excelled academically in Ghana and dreamed of becoming a physician. His father noted that the teenager spent most of his time after school in his bedroom playing phone games, rarely venturing outside except when urged to visit the park.
Thomas Frimpong also revealed that his son had recently been targeted by bullies at school.
He stated that the principal had informed him. Two students involved in harassing Javits had recently been suspended.
Police declined to comment on whether the bullying was directly connected to the attack.
Ghanaian Government Promises Justice for Killing
The killing has drawn sharp condemnation from officials in West Africa and triggered an outpouring of grief across New York City’s Ghanaian diaspora. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ghana issued a statement on October 30 confirming that Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa had spoken directly with Thomas Frimpong to offer government support in pursuing justice.
We will pursue justice, and we will make sure that those who did this do not get away with it.
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Speaking on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama, the Minister added, We are all saddened. We are all distraught. He did not deserve this.
Officials from Ghana’s Permanent Mission in New York also visited the grieving father at his home to offer consular and legal assistance. A US-based non-profit, the Ghana diaspora public affairs collective, issued a statement lamenting how a future built on hopes of greater opportunity and security had been violently extinguished.
🔴 15-year-old Ghanaian student shot dead in Bronx; three teens soughtJavits Frimpong, 15, was chased and fatally shot Thursday morning near Corona Park in the Bronx at approximately 9:24am on his way to school. He was found with a gunshot wound to his stomach and pronounced… pic.twitter.com/eViZxwdBzB
In the Bronx, religious leaders, community members, and relatives gathered at a Friday vigil near the spot where Javits collapsed. Among the attendees was Leandra Feliz, the mother of Junior Guzman, a 15-year-old killed by gang members in 2018 in a case of mistaken identity.
I’m only here to show support to the family because here we are again, another child of 15-years-old lost and I just want to be here to let the family know I’m here.
Leandra Feliz, via ABC7 New York
Detectives Hunt Three Masked Suspects As Investigation Continues
As authorities continue their search for the three teenage suspects, the shooting has reignited local frustration over youth violence. The New York City Department of Education released a statement expressing condolences and confirming that counseling and support services are being provided to students, staff, and families at the school community.
The tragedy unfolded against the backdrop of official city statistics showing that major crime in the Bronx declined by nearly 12% through September 30 compared to the previous year. However, community participants at the vigil argued that aggregate numbers fail to capture the reality of violence claiming increasingly younger lives.
The NYPD has not made any arrests, and detectives analyze surveillance footage and search for the three masked individuals seen fleeing toward Crotona Park.