By Emmanuella Opara | November 4th 2026
KEY POINTS
- Doris Adu Gyamfi has travelled to the United States following the fatal shooting of her 15-year-old son, Javits Frimpong, in the Bronx, New York.
- She received an emergency visa after US President Donald Trump approved a request made by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
- The mother said her immediate priority was to arrange her son’s funeral and seek justice over his killing.
- Police have not made any arrests and are searching for three teenage boys suspected of involvement.
MAIN STORY
The mother of 15-year-old Ghanaian boy, Javits Frimpong, who was fatally shot in New York, has travelled to the United States to arrange his burial and pursue justice over his killing.
Doris Adu Gyamfi departed Ghana after receiving an emergency visa approved by US President Donald Trump, following an appeal by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
Speaking to the BBC at the airport on Wednesday before her departure, Gyamfi said she wanted justice for her son, who had reportedly been in the United States for only a year.
“I want justice for my son,” she said.
She disclosed that Frimpong had hoped to become a medical doctor before his life was cut short.
The teenager was reportedly chased and shot on Thursday morning while walking to school in the Bronx. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Police have yet to arrest anyone in connection with the killing. Investigators are searching for three teenage boys suspected of involvement and are reportedly examining surveillance footage from the area.
Gyamfi, who was accompanied to the airport by relatives and the Head of Mission of the African Diaspora Forum, Dr Erieka Bennett, said her immediate concern was to make arrangements for her son’s funeral.
“I’m going to America to plan my son’s funeral,” she said.
She also thanked the Ghanaian government and other well-wishers for their support, prayers and assistance following the tragedy.
The emergency visa followed a request by Mamdani, who contacted Trump after learning that Gyamfi could not travel to the US to mourn her son in person.
In a social media post on Saturday, the mayor said the US president had agreed to approve the visa immediately after their conversation.
“The murder of a child is a pain no parent should endure, let alone from thousands of miles away,” Mamdani said.
“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,” he added.
Mamdani also said New York City was mourning the teenager’s death.
The Ghanaian government has condemned the killing and said it was monitoring the investigation. It called on US authorities to conduct a thorough probe and ensure those responsible were brought to justice.
The government also pledged legal and consular assistance to the bereaved family.
The killing has generated outrage in Ghana and the United States, with concerns over gun violence and the safety of young people, particularly Ghanaian children living abroad for education.
THE ISSUES
The killing has left Frimpong’s family facing the loss of a child while police continue efforts to identify those responsible.
The circumstances of the shooting, including the reported involvement of three teenage suspects, remain under investigation. The absence of an arrest means the motive and full details of the incident have not been established.
The case has also drawn attention to the difficulties families face when a death occurs abroad, particularly when relatives must secure travel documents to attend to funeral arrangements and seek answers from authorities.
WHAT’S BEING SAID
“I want justice for my son,” Doris Adu Gyamfi, the teenager’s mother, said.
“The murder of a child is a pain no parent should endure, let alone from thousands of miles away,” Zohran Mamdani, New York City Mayor, said.
“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,” Mamdani said.
WHAT’S NEXT
Gyamfi is expected to make arrangements for her son’s burial in the United States.
Meanwhile, police investigations are continuing, with authorities searching for the three teenage boys suspected of involvement in the shooting and reviewing surveillance footage from the area.
The Ghanaian government has said it will provide the family with necessary legal and consular assistance.
BOTTOM LINE
Gyamfi’s emergency visa has enabled her to travel to the United States to mourn her son and arrange his funeral. However, with no arrests made, the search for those responsible for the teenager’s killing remains ongoing.
