Trump Intervenes as Ghana Seeks Justice for Teenager Killed in New York

US President Donald Trump has agreed to facilitate a visa for the Ghanaian mother of Javits Frimpong, a teenager who was killed while walking to school in New York.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Trump’s intervention on Saturday as Ghana demanded justice for 15-year-old Frimpong, whose killing has sent shockwaves through the Bronx community.

“The murder of a child is a pain no parent should have to endure, let alone from thousands of miles away,” Mamdani said.

The mayor disclosed that Trump agreed during a telephone conversation to grant an immediate visa to the teenager’s mother, Doris Gyamfi, who resides in Kumasi, Ghana.

However, the White House had not independently confirmed the arrangement, and it remained unclear as of Saturday evening whether the visa had been issued.

Frimpong was reportedly shot in the abdomen in the morning in a neighbourhood in the Bronx. Police officers rushed him to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, while investigators began searching for three suspected teenage attackers.

The teenager had relocated from Ghana in October 2025 to reunite with his father, Thomas Frimpong, with the hope of pursuing his education and building a promising future.

“He was very clever, so he always says he wants to be a physician,” his grieving father told journalists in New York.

The elder Frimpong disclosed that his son had complained of persistent bullying at DreamYard Preparatory School, where two students were reportedly suspended. However, police have not established any connection between the alleged bullying and the killing.

Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, subsequently contacted the bereaved father, conveying condolences from President John Dramani Mahama and assuring him of the government’s support.

“We will pursue justice, and we will make sure that those who did this do not get away with it,” Ablakwa declared.
Ghanaian diplomats in New York also visited the family as the government demanded a thorough investigation and pledged legal and consular assistance to ensure accountability.

Following Mamdani’s announcement, Ablakwa welcomed Trump’s intervention and disclosed that Ghana would finance the mother’s trip, assist with visa arrangements and provide support for funeral expenses.

“The Government of Ghana welcomes your intervention and President Trump’s timely decision,” Ablakwa said,
acknowledging the cooperation between the American and Ghanaian authorities.
Bronx Congressman Ritchie Torres also expressed grief over the incident, saying: “Our entire borough is mourning a young man who should have had his whole future ahead of him.”

The New York City Department of Education offered counselling and pledged cooperation with investigators, stating: “Our hearts are with this young person’s family and school community during this unimaginably difficult time.”

Meanwhile, vigils were held on Saturday, bringing together Ghanaian residents, religious leaders and neighbours who demanded justice as police continued investigating the killing.

As of Saturday, no arrests had been announced, and investigators had not established a motive for the teenager’s killing.