A Ghanaian teenager, Javits Frimpong, has been shot dead in New York. His father suspects bullying, as police search for three teenage suspects.

A 15-year-old Ghanaian boy, Javits Frimpong, has been shot dead while walking to school in the Bronx, New York, with his father alleging that the killing may be connected to bullying and an earlier confrontation involving fellow students.

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The teenager was reportedly shot in the stomach at about 9.30am on Thursday, October 29, near Crotona Park. He was taken to hospital but later died from his injuries, according to reports.

The New York Police Department is searching for three teenage boys suspected of involvement in the shooting. Investigators said the suspects fled the scene wearing black tracksuits and blue surgical masks.

No arrests had been announced in the reports available at the time of publication.

Surveillance footage reportedly showed an individual matching the description of one of the suspects running away from the area after the shooting. Javits was said to have managed to run about a block before collapsing.

Father suspects bullying

Javits’ father, Thomas Frimpong, believes the killing may have followed a dispute involving his son and two schoolmates who were reportedly suspended after an earlier confrontation.

He said the school principal had informed him about the bullying three days before the shooting. The father also maintained that his son had not been the aggressor in the earlier incident.

“The principal told me Javits is innocent. Javits is innocent. He was defending himself,” Frimpong said.

His account has raised questions about whether the earlier school dispute was connected to the fatal attack. However, police have not publicly established a motive or confirmed that bullying played a role in the shooting.

The distinction is important as investigators continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the teenager’s death and search for those responsible.

Frimpong said he brought his son from Ghana to New York about a year ago in the hope of giving him better opportunities. Javits’ mother remained in Ghana.

The grieving father described his son as intelligent and precious, recalling the hopes he had for the teenager’s future.

“My son was precious, very clever,” he said.

Frimpong, who works as a taxi driver, also recalled his final conversation with Javits on Thursday morning. He said he had simply reminded his son to get to school on time, unaware that it would be their last exchange.

The shooting has caused distress among residents of the Crotona Park neighbourhood, with some calling for more after-school activities and youth programmes to help keep teenagers away from violence.

The NYPD has continued its search for the three teenage suspects, while the circumstances and motive behind the shooting remain under investigation.

Authorities have yet to publicly identify the suspects or announce arrests, according to the supplied reports.

For Javits’ family, the loss has turned a journey intended to offer a young boy a better future into a devastating tragedy.

His father’s concerns about bullying have added urgency to questions about how schools respond to student conflicts and protect children from violence.

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Until investigators establish what happened, however, the alleged bullying connection remains an account provided by the victim’s father rather than a confirmed police finding.