Arrest In Ghanaian Teen Killing: NYPD nabs 17-year-old over Bronx shooting; family still seeks justice

A 17-year-old teenager was arrested on Wednesday in connection with the fatal shooting of 15-year-old Ghanaian immigrant Javits Frimpong, who was killed while walking to school in New York City, police said.

The arrest comes amid growing demands for justice from the victim's family, Ghanaian officials and civil rights activists.

The New York Police Department (NYPD) said the suspect had been taken into custody on murder and other charges in connection with Frimpong's October 29 death.

Authorities have not disclosed the teenager's identity, and it was not immediately known whether he had legal representation, according to news agency AP.

The killing has triggered protests across New York and prompted Mayor Zohran Mamdani to appeal to US president Donald Trump to facilitate a visa for Frimpong's mother, Doris Adu Gyamfi, allowing her to travel to the United States.

“I need justice for my child,” Gyamfi said at a news conference on Wednesday before breaking down in tears.

Police have not established a motive for the shooting, which took place on a Bronx street as Frimpong was heading to school.

His family has alleged that he was being bullied by fellow students.

NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said last week that investigators were examining bullying and other possible motives, including robbery.

He also indicated that three people may have been involved in the incident.

The arrest was announced as Frimpong's relatives, civil rights attorney Ben Crump, reverend Al Sharpton and Ghana's ambassador to the United Nations, Samuel Yao Kumah, gathered at Sharpton's National Action Network headquarters for a previously scheduled press conference.

Leading a chant of “Justice for Javits!”, Crump acknowledged the arrest but stressed that several questions remained unanswered.

“What we're all wondering is: why? why did they kill this young man, this person with such a bright future?” he said.

During the address, Frimpong's mother broke down and wept on Sharpton's shoulder.

Kumah said the teenager's death had deeply shocked the Ghanaian community and described the arrest as “a step in the right direction”.

According to his relatives, Frimpong had moved to the United States a year earlier to join his father and pursue better educational opportunities.

His father, Thomas Frimpong, said the teenager had been “living the dream”.

His sister, Millicent Frimpong, said he aspired to become a doctor and hoped to follow the family's tradition of serving in the military.

“He was so ready that he made me save my uniform for him,” she recalled.

She also revealed that her brother had written in his journal about how proud he was to be living in the United States and how well things were going at school.

Thomas Frimpong had earlier said his son, who was generally quiet and spent much of his time on his cellphone, had been facing bullying at school.

However, the teenager had reassured his father about the situation, telling him, “Dad, I’m OK.”

The father also said two students had been suspended over the alleged bullying.