Ghana's Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, James Gyakye Quayson, has formally met with Madam Doris Adu Gyamfi, the mother of 15-year-old Ghanaian national Javits Badu Nkansah Frimpong, who was fatally shot in the Bronx, New York. During the meeting, Quayson expressed condolences on behalf of the state and offered full government support to the grieving mother. He reassured Madam Gyamfi that Ghana's diplomatic mission in the United States is actively communicating with American law enforcement to ensure the case receives thorough investigative attention.
The meeting comes as preparations for the teenager's funeral are currently underway. Javits Frimpong was walking to school in the Bronx shortly before 9:30 a.m. on Thursday when a gunman shot him in the abdomen. Paramedics rushed the teenager to a nearby hospital, where medical staff later pronounced him dead. New York City police have made no arrests and are searching for three teenage boys in connection with the crime.
Deputy Minister James Gyakye Quayson reiterated that state agencies will stand alongside the family throughout their period of mourning. He also informed Madam Gyamfi that the government will work tirelessly to ensure justice is secured for her son. The Ghanaian Foreign Minister, Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa, confirmed that diplomatic staff in New York are coordinating directly with local law enforcement officers.
In a related development, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani confirmed that following a telephone discussion with President Donald Trump, federal authorities agreed to issue an entry visa for Frimpong's mother so she can travel from Ghana to attend her son's burial services. The White House did not immediately respond to an email confirming the administration would be issuing the visa.
Mayor Mamdani expressed his condolences to the family, stating that "the murder of a child is a pain no parent should have to endure, let alone from thousands of miles away." He added that "Javits Frimpong's mother deserves to say goodbye to her son in person." The intervention comes amid a broader administration crackdown on international travel, which includes visa processing suspensions affecting 75 nations.
Ghanaian officials have demanded justice for the killing of Javits Frimpong. U.S. Representative Ritchie Torres, a Democrat representing the district, stated that "our entire borough is mourning a young man who should have had his whole future ahead of him." He added that "every child in the Bronx deserves to walk to school without fearing for their life, and no parent should ever have to endure what Javits's father, Thomas, is enduring now."
Javits Frimpong had relocated to the United States just a year prior to reside with his father in the Bronx. His father, Thomas Frimpong, remembered his son as a young man with a bright future ahead of him. The Ghanaian government has assured the family of its full support during this difficult period.
Key points
- Deputy Minister James Gyakye Quayson offers government support to Javits Frimpong's mother.
- New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani secures visa for Javits Frimpong's mother to attend burial services.
- Ghanaian officials demand justice for the killing of Javits Frimpong.
