U.S. President Donald Trump has agreed to facilitate an immediate visa for the Ghanaian mother of 15-year-old Javits Frimpong, who was shot dead while walking to school in New York, following appeals by Ghanaian authorities for justice over the teenager’s killing.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Trump’s intervention on Saturday, October 31, 2026, after a telephone conversation with the U.S. president. He said Trump agreed to facilitate a visa for the teenager’s mother, Doris Gyamfi, who lives in Kumasi, Ghana, to enable her to travel to the United States. However, the White House had not independently confirmed the arrangement, and it remained unclear whether the visa had been issued.
Frimpong was reportedly shot in the abdomen in the Bronx and rushed to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police have launched an investigation and are searching for three suspected teenage assailants, although no arrests had been announced and the motive remained unclear.
The teenager moved from Ghana to the United States in October 2025 to reunite with his father, Thomas Frimpong, and pursue his education. His father described him as an intelligent boy who aspired to become a physician. He also said his son had complained of persistent bullying at DreamYard Preparatory School, where two students were reportedly suspended, although police had not established any connection between the alleged bullying and the killing.
Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, conveyed condolences from President John Dramani Mahama to the bereaved family and assured them of government support. He vowed that Ghana would pursue justice and ensure those responsible were held accountable, while Ghanaian diplomats in New York visited the family and pledged legal and consular assistance.
Welcoming Trump’s intervention, Ablakwa said the Ghanaian government would finance the mother’s travel, assist with visa arrangements and support funeral expenses. Meanwhile, vigils involving Ghanaian residents, religious leaders and other community members were held in the Bronx on Saturday as calls for justice continued.
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