{"id":391344,"date":"2026-11-02T22:18:06","date_gmt":"2026-11-02T22:18:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/391344\/"},"modified":"2026-11-02T22:18:06","modified_gmt":"2026-11-02T22:18:06","slug":"bronx-teen-javits-frimpong-had-his-bag-stolen-as-he-fled-from-suspects-who-shot-him-dead-cops","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/391344\/","title":{"rendered":"Bronx teen Javits Frimpong had his bag stolen as he fled from suspects who shot him dead: cops"},"content":{"rendered":"

Javits Frimpong, the 15-year-old immigrant teen who was shot to death on a Bronx street last week<\/a>, had his bag stolen by a stranger as he ran from his killers, police revealed on Monday.<\/p>\n

NYPD Chief of Detectives<\/a> Joseph Kenny said that Frimpong was a teen trying to do everything right when he was callously chased and shot to death near East 171st Street and Crotona Place in Claremont on Oct. 29 in a shooting that shocked the city.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom all indications, this was a kid who was doing things right. He would voluntarily leave his phone at home because he wanted to concentrate on his schoolwork. He would come home, do his homework, and then he would jump on his phone periodically. But he was very, very into his schoolwork,\u201d Kenny said. \u201cAll indications that he was trying to live the American dream. He was trying to get ahead by going to school.\u201d<\/p>\n

Investigators say they are still looking into whether the motive was bullying, if the group misidentified Frimpong as a rival gang member, or if it was a simple robbery. Police say they have attempted to acquire more information through the city\u2019s Department of Education but were forced to subpoena the agency to obtain it.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, more grim details emerged surrounding the slaying of Frimpong, a Ghana native. Cops say when the three suspects approached him, they were attempting to disguise themselves. Frimpong took off running, dropping his backpack in the process.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf their intention was to rob him, he dropped his backpack, which was not recovered because another citizen was kind enough to steal it. And then they ran back and picked up the shell casing, so they knew exactly what they were doing,\u201d Kenny said.<\/p>\n

After the shooting, the trio fled to the Freeman Ave., Southern Boulevard train station and hopped the turnstiles. Meanwhile, Kenny says his detectives have been in constant communication with the family as they investigate the case.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re looking at the possibility this is a robbery. We\u2019re not going to discount the bullying angle here, or if he was just simply mistaken as the ops,\u201d Kenny said. \u201cYou know, I\u2019m 61 years old, and I\u2019ve been doing this for 35 years; if I saw those kids walking up on me, I would know what time it is, too. They\u2019re all hooded up, they\u2019re all masked up, surgical masks, a hot day, faces covered. This kid maybe was only in the country for a year, but he knew exactly what was going on, and he knew it was he knew it was time to run.\u201d<\/p>\n

Over the weekend, Mayor Zohran Mamdani stated that he spoke with President Trump<\/a>, who agreed to grant Frimpong\u2019s mother an immediate visa so she could attend her slain son\u2019s funeral.<\/p>\n

On Monday morning, Frimpong\u2019s fellow students at DreamYard Preparatory School performed a walkout protesting his killing and gun violence.<\/p>\n

No arrests have been made.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur family is devastated by this unimaginable loss. No father should have to bury his child, especially under such heartbreaking circumstances. We are raising funds to help his father and our family with funeral, burial, and other unexpected expenses during this incredibly difficult time,\u201d the GoFundMe account set up for the family read.<\/a><\/p>\n

Anyone with information regarding their whereabouts can call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish, dial 888-57-PISTA). You can also submit tips online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org<\/a>, or on X (formerly Twitter) @NYPDTips<\/a>. All calls and messages are kept confidential.<\/p>\n