A 15-year-old Ghanaian boy has been shot dead in New York’s Bronx borough, with police searching for three teenage suspects in connection with the incident.
The victim, identified as Javits Frimpong, was shot once in the abdomen shortly before 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 29, near the intersection of East 171st Street and Crotona Place in the Claremont neighbourhood, according to the New York Police Department (NYPD).
He was rushed to a nearby hospital by responding officers but later succumbed to his injuries.
Police have identified three teenage boys, believed to be between 16 and 18 years old, as persons of interest in the shooting. The suspects were last seen dressed in black clothing and wearing blue surgical masks.
Investigators are yet to establish what led to the fatal attack.
Frimpong’s death has left his father, Thomas Frimpong, devastated. Speaking to CBS News New York from the hospital, the 60-year-old struggled to come to terms with the loss of his son, who had moved from Ghana to the United States about a year ago to live with him.
“It’s not easy for me. it’s not easy for me. He’s my everything. I’m here with him alone. I’m here with him alone,” he said.
The father disclosed that he received news of the shooting from the principal of his son’s school, Dreamyard Preparatory.
He also revealed that his son had previously experienced bullying at school, including a confrontation with two boys who were subsequently suspended.
According to him, his son had eventually opened up about the repeated incidents, which allegedly occurred during lunchtime.
“He said, ‘Dad, any time I am going to lunch, that guy keep on bullying me.’ He said, ‘I have been reporting him several times,'” Thomas Frimpong recounted.
CBS News New York said it had contacted the school and the New York City Department of Education for comments on the father’s allegations but had not received an immediate response.
Residents in the neighbourhood have expressed shock over the shooting, describing the death of the teenager as a painful loss.
One neighbour, Cecile Johnson, said the incident was particularly disturbing as she also had a young child.
“It’s devastating. I got a son that’s 9. It’s sad,” she said.
Another resident, Modesto Arriola, expressed concern about the safety of children in the area, saying the incident had heightened fears among parents.
Frimpong’s father has appealed to those responsible for his son’s death to surrender to the police, insisting that they should be held accountable.
“I don’t think they are going to go free for killing an innocent child,” he said.
