17-year-old arrested over killing of Javits Frimpong
A 17-year-old boy has been charged in connection with the killing of 15-year-old Ghanaian student Javits Badu Nkansah Frimpong in the Bronx, New York, nearly two weeks after the teenager was shot while walking to school.
The New York Police Department confirmed the arrest on Wednesday, November 11, saying the suspect faces charges of murder, manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon. His identity has not been released because he is a minor.
Javits was attacked on the morning of October 29 near East 171st Street and Crotona Place while heading to DreamYard Preparatory School. He was taken to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he later died. Police had initially been searching for three teenagers in connection with the incident, and investigators have not ruled out further arrests.
The arrest has not yet answered key questions about the killing, including the suspect’s precise role and the motive. Javits’ father had previously said his son experienced bullying at school, but investigators have not publicly established a connection between those complaints and the shooting.
The case has attracted attention from Ghanaian and American officials, as well as civil-rights advocates. Ghana’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Samuel Yao Kumah, attended a press conference with the family and civil-rights attorney Ben Crump, who has been engaged to represent them. Ghana’s government has also pledged support in pursuing justice.
Javits’ killing prompted calls for accountability and greater attention to the safety of young people in the community. His family is continuing to seek answers as police pursue the investigation
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