A 17-year-old suspect arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of Ghanaian teenager Javits Frimpong in New York has been charged with several offences, including intentional murder and manslaughter.
The charges were announced by US attorney Ben Crump, who was engaged by the Government of Ghana to represent the bereaved family, during a press conference on November 11, 2026.
Crump assured the family that efforts would be made to secure justice for the teenager.
“We will get justice for Javits Frimpong,” he said.
The suspect is also facing a second-degree murder charge and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon.
The announcement followed reports by the New York Post that the suspect had been arrested by the New York Police Department’s Violent Crimes Task Force.
Javits, a Ghanaian immigrant, was shot in the stomach on October 29, 2026, while walking to school near East 171st Street and Third Avenue in New York.
He later died from his injuries.
A video of the incident showed the teenager running after being shot before eventually collapsing.
His death has raised concerns about possible bullying at school, with his father, Thomas Frimpong, suggesting that the issue may have played a role in the incident.
According to Thomas, the school principal contacted him two days before the shooting to report that his son had been bullied by two other students.
“He said two boys were fighting with my son, and the two boys got suspended,” he recounted.
NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny had earlier confirmed that investigators were examining the bullying allegations as part of their inquiry into the teenager’s killing.
Kenny described the matter as one of several issues being considered by investigators.
“That’s one aspect that we’re looking at, as well as some others,” he said.
He also described Javits as a dedicated student who devoted much of his time to his education.
“He would come home, do his homework, and then he would jump on his phone periodically,” Kenny said. “But he was very, very into his schoolwork.”
Meanwhile, Ghana’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations has explained that the decision to engage Crump to provide legal assistance to the family followed careful consideration.
The diplomat expressed confidence in the attorney’s ability to handle the case and thanked him and Reverend Al Sharpton for their prompt intervention.
“We couldn’t have settled on a more brilliant and a devoted attorney. We are eternally grateful to him. The Government of Ghana has asked me to convey his deepest gratitude to him and also to Reverend Al Sharpton for taking quick action in this matter,” he said.
The charges mark a significant development in the case as the family continues to seek answers and justice over Javits’ death.
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