Key Takeaways
- Ben Crump is now representing Javits Frimpong's loved ones as they seek accountability for his killing.
- The lawyer announced a candlelight vigil scheduled for Saturday (Nov. 7), with supporters gathering to honor the student and demand justice.
- Javits’ father, Thomas Frimpong, suspects the shooting is tied to a bullying incident that the school principal informed him of just days prior.
Ben Crump has joined the fight for answers following the killing of Javits Frimpong, a 15-year-old Ghanaian student whose life was cut short before he could fulfill his dream of becoming a doctor.
On Friday (Nov. 6), the civil rights attorney announced that he had been retained by the teenager's family as authorities continued investigating last month's shooting in the Bronx's Claremont neighborhood.
“Javits was a 15-year-old boy walking to school, something children across this country do every morning,” he said in a statement. “He came here from Ghana a year ago dreaming of becoming a doctor, and he deserved to make that walk safely, like every child does, no matter where they come from. We will stand with Javits’ family every step of the way until the people responsible are held accountable and his family has the answers they deserve.”
What happened to Javits Frimpong?
On Oct. 29, the teen was reportedly shot in the stomach around 9:30 a.m. near Crotona Park, just blocks from his school. He managed to run before collapsing and was later pronounced dead at St. Barnabas Hospital.
His father, Thomas Frimpong, believes bullying may have contributed to the killing, per ABC7. He said school officials had informed him that two students were suspended after an incident involving his son days earlier. “The principal told me Javits is innocent. Javits is innocent. He was defending himself,” the grieving parent told the outlet.
Authorities have not confirmed a motive. Investigators are searching for three masked teenagers who reportedly fled the scene. No arrests have been made.
Calls for justice grow after Javits Frimpong's death
The loss has devastated a family that had hoped to build a better future together. Thomas, a yellow cab driver, brought Javits from Ghana to live with him last year. His mother, Madam Doris Adu Gyamfi, remained in their home country until the tragedy prompted her journey to New York. “I want justice for my son. That's it,” she told ABC7.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced last Saturday (Oct. 31) that President Donald Trump had agreed to expedite her visa after the two spoke by phone: “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.” He concluded the statement with, “All of New York City is mourning this tragedy.”
On Thursday (Nov. 5), members of the Ghanaian community reportedly gathered for a vigil in the Bronx organized by the National Ghana Parade Council. Javits' brother, Kenneth Frimpong, expressed gratitude to those who had shown their support and remembered his sibling as a “good science student.”
Another event is scheduled for Saturday (Nov. 7) at 4 p.m. ET. The walk will begin at Lou Gehrig Plaza, near East 161st Street and Grand Concourse, before a candlelight vigil at East 171st Street and Fulton Avenue. Family members, friends and local branches of African organizations are expected to participate as the push for accountability continues.