Teen charged with murder in shooting death of 15-year-old Javits Frimpong

The Ghanaian teen was walking to school when he was shot on October 29, setting off widespread cries for justice and for his mother to come to the U.S. to bury her child.

A 17-year-old teen has been charged with murder in connection with the death of Javits Frimpong.

The 15-year-old Ghanaian teen was walking to school on October 29 when he was shot in the stomach. He later succumbed to his wounds and a manhunt was underway for his suspected killer.

Due to the alleged suspect being a minor, his name was not publicly revealed, although the New York Police Department confirmed he was facing charges of manslaughter and other firearm-related charges along with murder. TheGrio previously reported that authorities detained the teen on Wednesday, hours before a press conference where Frimpong’s mother and father tearfully spoke about their son.

“I need justice for my child,” Doris Gyamfi, Javits’ mother, said. His father, Thomas Frimpong, added that he was happy that someone had been charged in connection with his son’s death, but hoped he’d never have to stand in front of a gathered crowd to mourn his son.

“I brought Javits from Ghana to continue his education here in the United States… He was very, very, very excited,” Thomas Frimpong said. “Unfortunately, on the 29th day of October, I was at work when I heard that my son had been shot.”

Javits is scheduled to be remembered at a funeral service on November 20.

Authorities have not ruled out other arrests in connection with the case.

Ben Crump, who was also present at the press conference, said the suspect should be held accountable for the 15-year-old’s death, calling it “equal justice.”

Javits’ death has drawn national attention as stories of bullying in communities have grown in recent months. In California, a teen jumped to his death at a high school after other students bullied him. In the Bronx, the young teen’s death generated memories of the killing of 15-year-old Lesandro “Junior” Guzman-Feliz in 2018.

The teen previously informed his father that he was being bullied at school. Crump and his team, along with the family, want answers and an investigation from the Department of Education as to what happened to Javits.

Millicent Boateng, Javits’ sister, remembered her brother and his aspirations for more.

“He wanted to be a physician. He wanted to be in the military,” she said.

At one point, she read a passage from his journal in which he wrote, “School has been good since I came to the United States.”