Ghanaian boy, 15, shot dead in Bronx as father alleges bullying

A 15-year-old boy who arrived in New York from Ghana a year ago was shot dead in the Bronx on Thursday, and police are hunting three teenagers while his father alleges bullying at school.

Javits Frimpong was hit once in the stomach near East 171st Street and Crotona Place at about 9.24am and died shortly afterwards at St Barnabas Hospital, police said. No arrests have been made and the NYPD has not identified a motive.

Surveillance footage reportedly shows the teenager running while a person dressed all in black follows him. A second camera angle appeared to show masked individuals in dark clothing fleeing the scene.

A 59-year-old resident of a homeless shelter opposite, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Daily News he saw hooded, masked figures waiting in the park before he heard a shot. The resident said the shelter's manager pressed on the wound as the boy struggled to stay conscious and told staff he did not know whether he had been shot.

Thomas Frimpong, 60, a yellow cab driver, had woken his son for school on Thursday before leaving for work. "I lost him," he told reporters. "I don't know what to do now."

Mr Frimpong said his son had complained for some time about a classmate. "He said, 'Dad, anytime I am going to lunch, that guy keep on bullying me.' He said, 'I have been reporting him several times,'" he recalled.

The school principal telephoned three days earlier to say two students had been disturbing the boy, a call that led to their suspension, Mr Frimpong said. The principal could not be reached for comment by phone or email.

An NYPD spokesperson declined on Friday to say whether the bullying reports were connected to the attack. A school bus aide who knew the teenager also said two boys had recently been suspended.

The aide described the victim as "An innocent kid. An honorable student that just came from Ghana." He then offered a theory that police have not corroborated, saying "This could be speculation from my viewpoint, but maybe it's one of those things where we bully him, he got us suspended and let's come back with a vengeance."

Ghana's foreign minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, condemned the killing in a Friday statement. "We will pursue justice and we will make sure that those who did this do not get away with it," he said.

A US-based non-profit, the Ghana diaspora public affairs collective, also issued a statement on Friday. "That future has now been violently taken away," it said.

Relatives have described a boy with ambitions. His father said Javits earned top grades in Ghana and wanted a career in medicine. "Even I don't understand how my son is very clever like that," Mr Frimpong said.

A cousin, Tracy Boampong, set up a GoFundMe page for the family. "October 28 marked exactly one year since Javits came to the United States from Ghana, full of hope for a brighter future and a better education," she wrote.

The boy's mother lives in Ghana, and Mr Frimpong said he had to telephone her with the news. Asked what he would say to those responsible, he urged them "to give themselves to the police."

The attack has shaken the Claremont neighbourhood and the city's west African community. Chaplains and clergy gathered at a vigil on Friday evening to pray for the family and for children across the city.

"It's time we let the community know, and let parents know we need to stop the violence," Bishop Fernando Rodriguez said. He urged educators to act on warnings and said "if you hear that a child is getting bullied, please report it."

A report published in February by the New York State Comptroller's Office found that school bullying is rising statewide. Between 2017 and 2024, "reported bullying rates grew from 10.2 to 18.2 incidents per 1,000 students statewide," it said.

The city's Department of Education referred questions about anti-bullying measures to the NYPD. A spokesperson said counselling and other support were being offered to students, families and staff, and that the department was assisting the investigation.

Detectives are appealing for anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers on 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), where calls are kept confidential.