The mother of 15 year old Ghanaian teenager Javits Frimpong, who was fatally shot while making his way to school in New York, is expected to travel to the United States following a personal intervention by President Donald Trump to facilitate her entry into the country.
New York City Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani announced the development after speaking with President Trump by telephone on Saturday, October 31, 2026, explaining that the American President had agreed to facilitate the issuance of a visa to enable the grieving mother, who is currently in Ghana, to travel to New York and bid her son a final farewell.
In a statement published on his X account, Mayor Mamdani described the teenager’s death as an immeasurable tragedy and stressed that no parent should be subjected to the agony of losing a child, particularly under circumstances that prevent them from being physically present to mourn their loss.
He indicated that the mother deserved the opportunity to say goodbye to her son in person and expressed appreciation for President Trump’s willingness to intervene in the matter. He also conveyed the profound grief being experienced across New York City following the fatal shooting.
Although the mayor confirmed the President’s agreement to facilitate the visa, he did not disclose the specific category of travel documentation to be issued or provide details concerning the administrative arrangements and expected processing period.
Javits was shot in the abdomen shortly before 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 29, 2026, while walking to school in the Claremont neighbourhood of the Bronx. The 15 year old, who was a 10th grade student at DreamYard Preparatory School, sustained critical injuries and was transported by responding police officers to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he subsequently died.
The teenager had relocated from Ghana to the United States in 2025 to reunite with his father, Thomas Frimpong, who works as a yellow cab driver in New York.
His father has raised concerns about the possibility that bullying allegedly suffered by his son at school could have been connected to the fatal incident, although investigators have not established any such relationship.
Mr Frimpong disclosed that the school’s principal had previously drawn his attention to an incident involving two students who allegedly subjected Javits to harassment and were subsequently suspended.
He further maintained that his son had repeatedly spoken about the bullying he was experiencing, raising concerns about the circumstances surrounding his treatment within the school environment.
Appealing to those responsible for the teenager’s death to surrender themselves to the police, the distraught father expressed confidence that the perpetrators would eventually face the consequences of their actions.
He said he would urge the suspects to voluntarily report to law enforcement authorities, insisting that those who had taken the life of an innocent child should not be allowed to escape accountability.
However, the New York Police Department has yet to determine the motive behind the shooting or establish whether the alleged bullying had any connection with the attack. Consequently, the concerns raised by the family remain allegations pending the outcome of police investigations.
The Government of Ghana has strongly condemned the killing and called on American authorities to undertake a comprehensive investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the teenager’s death and ensure that everyone implicated in the crime is brought before the law.
Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has personally contacted the victim’s father to convey the government’s condolences and assure the bereaved family of its support during the difficult period.
Representatives of Ghana’s Permanent Mission in New York have also visited the family as part of efforts to provide assistance and demonstrate the government’s concern over the tragedy.
Mr Ablakwa reaffirmed Ghana’s determination to pursue justice for the deceased teenager, stressing that the authorities would work to ensure that those responsible for the killing were identified and held accountable.
Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, Victor Emmanuel Smith, has similarly called for a thorough and impartial investigation, drawing attention to reports that the teenager had allegedly experienced bullying before his death.
The New York Police Department is continuing investigations into the shooting and is searching for as many as three male suspects believed to be teenagers.
Nevertheless, investigators have not publicly disclosed the identities of the individuals being sought or established a definitive motive for the attack. As of Saturday, October 31, no arrests had been announced.
The killing has generated considerable sorrow within Ghanaian communities in New York and intensified demands for transparency concerning the events that culminated in the teenager’s death.
The intervention by President Trump, as announced by Mayor Mamdani, is expected to pave the way for Javits’ mother to travel from Ghana to the United States, reunite with her family and participate in arrangements to bid her son a final farewell.
