New York police have arrested a 17-year-old boy over the fatal shooting of 15-year-old Ghanaian student Javits Frimpong.
The teenager was killed while walking to school in the Bronx on October 29, 2026.
The New York Police Department announced the arrest on Wednesday, November 11. Detectives apprehended the suspect earlier that morning.
Police said the teenager faces a murder charge. According to ABC7 New York, he also faces manslaughter and firearm-related charges.
Authorities have not released the suspect’s identity because he is a minor. They have also not established a motive for the shooting.
Ghanaian Teen Was Shot on His Way to School
Frimpong suffered a gunshot wound to the abdomen near East 171st Street and Crotona Place. The incident happened in the Claremont neighbourhood of the Bronx.
Emergency responders rushed him to St. Barnabas Hospital. However, doctors later pronounced him dead.
The teenager had moved from Ghana to the United States about a year earlier. He joined his father, Thomas Frimpong, in New York to pursue better educational opportunities.
His family described him as an ambitious student with dreams of becoming a physician. He also hoped to follow family footsteps by joining the military.
Family Had Raised Concerns Over Bullying
Frimpong’s father previously said his son had complained about bullying at school. He also disclosed that two students had reportedly faced suspension over harassment.
However, investigators have not established any connection between the alleged bullying and the shooting.
Police had earlier considered several possible motives, including bullying and robbery. Authorities have not confirmed what led to the attack.
Investigators had also been searching for three teenage suspects after the shooting. The latest arrest marks a major development in the case.
Mother Demands Justice for Her Son
The arrest came as Frimpong’s family and members of the Ghanaian community renewed calls for justice.
At a news conference in Harlem on Wednesday, his mother, Doris Adu Gyamfi, pleaded for justice.
“I need justice for my child,” she said before breaking down in tears.
Civil rights lawyer Ben Crump and Reverend Al Sharpton attended the event. Ghana’s representative to the United Nations, Samuel Yao Kumah, also joined the family.
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani had earlier appealed to US President Donald Trump. He asked Trump to help secure a visa for Frimpong’s mother to travel to the United States.
The killing sparked protests and renewed concerns about school safety. The family continues to seek answers as the police investigation proceeds.
Authorities have not disclosed a motive. They have also not ruled out additional arrests.
