Authorities in New York are searching for three teenage suspects in connection with the shooting death of a 15-year-old Ghanaian boy in the Bronx.
Per WABC, the fatal incident happened close to Crotona Park in the Bronx on Thursday morning. The deceased teen, identified as Javits Frimpong, was headed to school when he was gunned down.
Authorities said Frimpong collapsed after running about a block when he was shot. He later succumbed to his injuries at a hospital.
The three teenage suspects linked to the fatal incident were said to be wearing black sweatsuits and blue surgical masks. Surveillance footage also captured one of the suspects fleeing the scene after the shooting.
Javits’ father, Thomas Frimpong, said he feels he knows the person behind his son’s killing. But no suspects had been arrested or identified by the police at the time of this report.
Frimpong said he suspects the shooting stemmed from bullying. He said the school principal spoke with him three days before the shooting and told him that Javits was being bullied by two teenagers. Frimpong said the principal told him the two teenagers had been suspended for a week.
Frimpong said his son arrived in New York from Ghana just a year ago, adding that Javits’ mother still resides in the West African nation.
He also said his son was hardly outdoors and mostly by himself. He added that school officials told him Javits did not instigate a recent incident, WABC reported.
“The principal told me Javits is innocent. Javits is innocent. He was defending himself,” Frimpong, who described his deceased son as “precious” and “very clever,” said.
Crotona Park residents responded to the fatal incident, as they registered their displeasure with the violence and encouraged parents to keep a proper eye on their children.
“Mayor Mamdani if you’re hearing this, our kids need. They need afterschool programs; they need different programs to keep them off the street. Too much idle time on a young man’s hands means trouble,” a resident said.
“Stop the violence, that’s all, stay home, stay in school,” a neighbor also said.
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