17-year-old arrested over murder of 15-year-old Ghanaian boy shot dead on his way to school in US

• New York police arrested a 17-year-old over the fatal shooting of 15-year-old Ghanaian immigrant Javits Frimpong in the Bronx.

• Frimpong had moved from Ghana to the US in October 2025 to live with his father and continue his education.

• His family said he wanted to become a doctor or join the military, while his mother has appealed publicly for justice.

New York police have arrested and charged a 17-year-old with murder over the fatal shooting of Javits Frimpong, a 15-year-old Ghanaian immigrant killed while walking to school in the Bronx.

The New York Police Department (NYPD) announced the arrest on Wednesday, November 11, 2026. Police picked the teenager up for questioning at his home in the Bronx that morning and took him to the 42nd Precinct, according to ABC7. "The NYPD will be relentless in our efforts to get dangerous people out of our communities," it said.

Frimpong, a 10th grader at DreamYard Preparatory School, was shot in the stomach shortly before 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 29, near East 171st Street and Crotona Place in the Claremont section of the Bronx, a few blocks from his school. 

Surveillance footage obtained by local broadcasters showed him running as a person dressed in dark clothing appeared to chase him. He died at a hospital, police said.

He had moved from Ghana on October 28, 2025, to live with his father, Thomas Frimpong, 60, and continue his education. His family said he was a good student who wanted to become a doctor or join the military. His father said he was at work when he heard his son had been shot.

Thomas Frimpong told Gothamist that two students at the school had fought with Javits a few days before the shooting and had both been suspended. Police sources said the suspect did not attend the same school as Frimpong. Investigators are examining whether bullying played a role, but authorities have not established a connection.

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Students at DreamYard walked out after the killing with signs reading "Justice for Javits," and the community held a candlelight vigil, according to Fox 5 NY and the Bronx Times.

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced soon after the shooting that President Donald Trump had agreed to grant an immediate travel visa to Frimpong's mother, Doris Gyamfi, who lives in Ghana. She broke down sobbing at a press conference and said, "I need justice for my child.” Civil rights leader Al Sharpton also spoke at the event.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump was retained by the family on November 6, according to his office. Ghana's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also approved his engagement following the killings of Ghanaian nationals in the United States, including Frimpong and 24-year-old Joseph Owusu, both in the Bronx.

The suspect has not been named, and it was not clear when he would appear in court or whether he had entered a plea.