Ghana’s government has called on law enforcement authorities in the Bronx, New York, to conduct a thorough investigation into the fatal shooting of 15-year-old Ghanaian student Javits Frimpong and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.
Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa gave the assurance to the teenager’s father, Thomas Frimpong, during a conversation in which he also conveyed President John Dramani Mahama’s condolences to the family.
In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Mr Ablakwa had assured the bereaved father that the government would pursue justice over the killing. “We will pursue justice, and we will make sure that those who did this do not get away with it,” the Minister said.
The Ministry also disclosed that officials from Ghana’s Permanent Mission in New York visited Mr Frimpong at his residence to commiserate with him and his family and convey the government’s condolences and support.
Javits was shot in the abdomen shortly before 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 29, near East 171st Street and Crotona Place in the Claremont section of the Bronx. He was taken by responding police officers to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
The New York Police Department (NYPD) is investigating the killing and was searching for three people in connection with the shooting as of Friday, October 30. No arrests had been announced at the time.
The teenager’s father told local media in US that his son had previously complained of being bullied at school. He said the school’s principal had informed him that two students had been suspended following incidents involving his son. However, police had not established whether the reported bullying was connected to the fatal shooting.
Javits moved from Ghana to the United States about a year ago to live with his father and was a student at DreamYard Preparatory School in the Bronx.
The Ministry said Ghana’s Permanent Mission in New York would continue to engage relevant authorities and follow developments in the investigation to support efforts to secure justice for the deceased. It further reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting the safety, dignity and welfare of Ghanaians living abroad.
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