Javits Frimpong’s father says school officials knew of a recent conflict, but police have not established a motive for the shooting.
NEW YORK — The father of a 15-year-old boy fatally shot in the Bronx said his son had recently complained about being bullied at school, raising a possible line of inquiry as police searched Friday for people connected to the killing.
Javits Frimpong was shot Thursday morning near East 171st Street in the Claremont section of the Bronx and later died at St. Barnabas Hospital. His father, Thomas Frimpong, told local news organizations that school officials had contacted him days before the shooting about a dispute involving his son. Police have not said the school conflict was connected to the killing, and no motive has been announced.
Thomas Frimpong told News 12 and other outlets that his son had complained about other students bothering him and that two boys had been suspended after a recent incident. He said he learned about Thursday’s shooting from his son’s school principal. The father’s account has become a focus of local attention, but authorities have not identified any of the people sought in the shooting as students involved in the earlier dispute.
The father said Javits was on his way to school when he was shot shortly before 9:30 a.m. Police found the teenager wounded near East 171st Street and rushed him to the hospital. He was initially reported in stable condition before authorities later confirmed that he had died.
Investigators have been reviewing surveillance footage from the neighborhood. Video aired by local television stations shows a teenager running as another person dressed in dark clothing follows behind. Police sources initially said investigators were looking for multiple males, possibly teenagers, who fled the area after the gunfire. Some reports said they were wearing dark clothing and surgical masks.
No arrests had been announced Friday. Police also had not released evidence publicly showing that the shooting resulted from bullying, a school dispute or any other specific conflict. The father’s belief that the earlier trouble may be connected remains an allegation that investigators have not confirmed.
Thomas Frimpong described his son as quiet and said the family had moved to the United States from Ghana about a year ago. He said Javits regularly attended school and had reported his concerns rather than seeking trouble. The teenager lived only a short distance from the area where he was killed.
The killing brought grief to the Claremont neighborhood, where candles were placed near the scene. Community members and relatives mourned as detectives continued interviewing witnesses and searching for video that could help identify those involved.
Investigators had not publicly said whether they had determined who fired the fatal shot or whether Frimpong was specifically targeted. The number of people being sought also varied in developing reports, underscoring that the investigation remained fluid.
Police continued investigating Friday with no arrests announced and no official motive released. Any possible connection between the reported school conflict and Frimpong’s death remained unconfirmed.
Author note: Last updated October 30, 2026.