An unverified video circulating on social media allegedly shows a suspect arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of 15-year-old Ghanaian immigrant Javits Frimpong in the Bronx, New York. The clip, shared by CITYMAG NEWS24 on Instagram, has drawn mixed reactions online, with many users dismissing it as fake while others express hope for justice.
CITYMAG NEWS24 explicitly stated that the video has not been independently verified and that the identity of the person shown has not been confirmed. The page noted it is following the investigation and will provide updates only when verified information becomes available.
Javits Badu Nkansah Frimpong, a tenth-grade student at DreamYard Preparatory School, was fatally shot on the morning of Thursday, October 29, 2026. He was walking to school near East 171st Street and Crotona Place in the Claremont section of the Bronx, just a short distance from the apartment he shared with his father, when three masked attackers ambushed him.
Surveillance footage captured the attackers—described as teenagers wearing black clothing and blue surgical masks—trailing and chasing the boy. He was shot once in the abdomen, ran about a block, and collapsed. Officers from the NYPD’s 42nd Precinct rushed him to St. Barnabas Hospital in a patrol car, where he was pronounced d3ad.
Frimpong had moved from Ghana to New York about a year earlier to join his father, Thomas Frimpong, a taxi driver. The day before the shooting marked the one-year anniversary of his arrival in the United States. He had dreamed of becoming a physician and kept a diary in which he wrote about his determination to succeed in school and his gratitude for his family.
His father has said the teenager had been bullied at school and that the principal informed him that two students involved were suspended. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny has said investigators are examining three possible motives: a robbery, a case of mistaken identity involving a rival gang, or a link to the reported bullying. The attackers collected their shell casings before fleeing on a southbound No. 5 subway train toward Manhattan.
As of November 4, no arrests have been publicly announced. Police continue to seek the three suspects, believed to be between 16 and 18 years old. Anyone with information is urged to contact NYPD Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.
Frimpong’s mother, Doris Adu Gyamfi, arrived in New York on Wednesday after receiving an emergency U.S. visa. She has called for justice, saying her son had dreamed of becoming a medical doctor. The family has received widespread support, including a GoFundMe campaign that raised more than $800,000, community vigils, marches demanding justice, and statements of condolence from Ghanaian officials and the Ghanaian diaspora.
The circulation of the unverified arrest video underscores the intense public interest in the case while highlighting the need for confirmed information from authorities. The investigation remains active.
About the Author
