New York City Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani has secured an agreement from US President Donald Trump to facilitate a visa for the mother of 15-year-old Ghanaian student Javits Frimpong, who was fatally shot in the Bronx.
The arrangement will allow the bereaved mother, who is currently in Ghana, to travel to the United States to bid farewell to her son following his death.
Mr Mamdani announced the development in a post on X on Saturday, October 31, 2026, after speaking with President Trump by telephone.
He said the President had agreed to grant the mother a visa immediately, describing the opportunity for her to see her son one last time as important amid the family’s grief.
“The murder of a child is a pain no parent should have to endure, let alone from thousands of miles away. Javits Frimpong’s mother deserves to say goodbye to her son in person. I just got off the phone with President Trump and he has agreed to grant her visa immediately. All of New York City is mourning this tragedy,” he wrote.
The mayor, however, did not provide details about the specific visa category or the processing arrangements.
Javits was shot in the abdomen shortly before 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 29, while walking to school in the Claremont neighbourhood of the Bronx.
The 15-year-old, who was a 10th-grade student at DreamYard Preparatory School, was rushed to St. Barnabas Hospital by police officers but later succumbed to his injuries.
He relocated from Ghana to the United States in 2025 to live with his father, Thomas Frimpong, who works as a yellow cab driver in New York.
The teenager’s father has raised concerns about possible links between the shooting and bullying his son allegedly experienced at school.
According to Mr Frimpong, the school’s principal had previously informed him about an incident in which two students allegedly harassed Javits, resulting in their suspension. He said his son had also complained to him on several occasions about being bullied.
Mr Frimpong has urged those behind the shooting to turn themselves in to the police.
“I will tell them to give themselves to the police. I don’t think they are going to go free for killing an innocent child,” he said.
Police have not, however, established a motive for the shooting or confirmed whether the alleged bullying had any connection to the killing.
Meanwhile, the Government of Ghana has condemned the teenager’s death and called on US authorities to investigate the incident thoroughly and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.
Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has contacted the victim’s father to convey the government’s condolences and assure the family of its support.
Officials of Ghana’s Permanent Mission in New York have also visited the bereaved family.
Mr Ablakwa reaffirmed the government’s commitment to pursuing justice for the deceased, stating: “We will pursue justice, and we will make sure that those who did this do not get away with it.”
Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, Victor Emmanuel Smith, has similarly called for a thorough and impartial investigation, drawing attention to reports of bullying the teenager allegedly faced before his death.
The New York Police Department is investigating the case and searching for up to three male suspects believed to be teenagers. Their identities have not been publicly established, and no arrests had been announced as of Saturday, October 31.
Javits’ death has triggered grief within the Ghanaian community in New York, with concerns mounting over the circumstances that led to the fatal shooting.
The visa arrangement announced by Mayor Mamdani is expected to give the teenager’s mother an opportunity to reunite with her family in the United States and take part in the final farewell arrangements for her son.
