A 15-year-old Ghanaian boy, identified as Javits Frimpong, has been shot dead while walking to school in the Bronx borough of New York City, United States, leaving his family and community devastated.
Javits was reportedly shot once in the abdomen shortly before 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 29, 2026, near East 171st Street and Third Avenue in the Claremont neighbourhood of the Bronx.
According to the New York Police Department (NYPD), officers responded to reports of a shooting and found the teenager with a gunshot wound. He was rushed to St. Barnabas Hospital in a police vehicle but later died from his injuries.
The shooting reportedly occurred close to the teenager’s home, just as he was making his way to school.
Police are searching for three male suspects believed to be between 16 and 18 years old. They were reportedly seen fleeing the area dressed in black clothing, with some wearing blue surgical masks.
Investigators have been examining surveillance footage and speaking with witnesses as they work to establish what led to the fatal attack. No arrests had been announced as of Friday, October 30, and the motive remained unclear.
However, the teenager’s grieving father, Thomas Frimpong, has raised concerns that bullying his son allegedly experienced at school could be connected to the killing.
Speaking to local media, Thomas disclosed that he moved Javits from Ghana to the United States approximately a year ago in the hope of providing him with better opportunities.
He said his son had complained about being bullied by another student and had repeatedly reported the alleged incidents to school authorities.
According to the father, the school’s principal contacted him three days before the shooting to inform him that two students had been suspended for a week over bullying allegations involving Javits.
Thomas also claimed that his son had previously been involved in a confrontation at school but maintained that the teenager was defending himself.
Recalling what his son had told him about the alleged harassment, the distraught father said the boy complained that another student regularly disturbed him during lunch breaks.
The father expressed disbelief over the loss, describing Javits as a quiet and intelligent boy who had dreams of becoming a physician.
He also recalled the final morning they spent together, saying he had woken his son before leaving home.
His son’s mother, who remains in Ghana, was reportedly devastated by the news of his death.
Thomas appealed to those responsible for the shooting to surrender to the police, insisting that his son’s death should not go without justice.
The allegations of bullying have also attracted attention following comments from a school bus aide who told CBS New York that he was aware of at least two students being suspended in connection with bullying incidents involving Javits.
Nevertheless, investigators have not confirmed that the school disputes or bullying allegations were connected to the fatal shooting. The circumstances surrounding the attack remain under investigation.
The killing has sparked renewed concerns about gun violence affecting young people in New York, particularly the safety of students travelling to and from school.
Police have appealed to members of the public with information about the shooting to assist investigators as the search for the suspected attackers continues.
Anyone with relevant information is urged to contact the NYPD Crime Stoppers hotline on 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). Calls are confidential.
