President John Dramani Mahama has called on the United States to address the persistent problem of gun violence following the fatal shooting of 15 year old Ghanaian teenager Javits Badu Nkansah Frimpong in New York.
Speaking during an interaction with the Presidential Press Corps upon his return to Ghana, President Mahama described the teenager’s death as deeply distressing, particularly considering his young age and the relatively brief period he had lived in the United States.
Javits had reportedly relocated from Ghana to New York to reunite with his father less than a year before the tragic incident.
The President said the precise circumstances surrounding the shooting remained unclear, although allegations of bullying had emerged. He noted that the New York Police Department (NYPD) was conducting investigations to establish what led to the teenager’s death.
“We don’t yet know exactly what the cause of it is. Some ascribe it to bullying. But, of course, the NYPD is investigating it,” he said.
President Mahama observed that the incident had drawn attention to the broader problem of firearm related violence in American society, where shootings at educational institutions and workplaces have continued to generate public concern.
He argued that the widespread availability and use of firearms remained an important issue requiring serious attention from American authorities.
“I think that one of the issues America has to deal with is the level of gun violence in the society,” he said.
The Ghanaian leader further expressed unease over other cases involving the violent deaths of Ghanaians in the United States, drawing attention to the recent discovery of the body of another 24 year old Ghanaian at a refuse disposal site.
He stressed that such incidents should not necessarily be viewed exclusively as attacks against Ghanaian nationals, but rather as manifestations of wider security and violent crime concerns that require concerted attention from the relevant American institutions.
Javits was fatally shot on Thursday, October 29, 2026, while reportedly making his way to school in the Bronx, New York.
The 15 year old sustained a gunshot wound to the abdomen near East 171st Street and Crotona Place in the Claremont neighbourhood.
Police officers who responded to the incident rushed him to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he subsequently succumbed to his injuries.
The teenager attended DreamYard Preparatory School in the Bronx. His father, Thomas Frimpong, remembered him as a reserved and intelligent young boy who aspired to become a medical doctor.
His death has also raised concerns about alleged bullying at his school. According to his father, Javits had previously complained about being harassed by fellow students, while two students were reportedly suspended following an earlier incident involving him shortly before the fatal shooting.
The NYPD is continuing investigations into the circumstances surrounding the attack.
The killing has generated profound sorrow among the bereaved family, members of the Ghanaian community in the United States and residents of the Bronx, with calls for answers about the circumstances that led to the teenager’s death.
President Mahama also acknowledged the assistance provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs following the tragedy, particularly its efforts to facilitate the journey of Javits’ mother from Ghana to the United States so she could join the family in mourning her son.
He specifically commended Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs James Gyakye Quayson for the support extended to the bereaved family during his absence.
The President further disclosed that Ghana’s diplomatic mission in New York had visited the family to convey the country’s condolences.
He added that the Minister for Foreign Affairs had directed the mission to extend all possible assistance to the grieving relatives as they navigate the difficult circumstances surrounding the loss.
