Claremont, Bronx — Members of the local Ghanaian community gathered Thursday evening for a candlelit vigil honoring 15‑year‑old Javian Frimpong, who was fatally shot while walking to school on East 171st Street and Crotona Place last week.
Community grief and calls for protection
The vigil, organized by the National Ghana Parade Council, featured speakers who expressed sorrow and frustration over the loss of a bright young student whose dream was to become a doctor. “We wish someone could have protected you. We wish you had been given the chance to live the life every 15‑year‑old deserves,” one speaker said.
Attendees also voiced concerns about the broader safety of the neighborhood. “It’s very scary because living here in the Bronx, it’s always stuff that’s going on—shootings, the youth is dying. It’s too much and it feels out of hand,” said a resident who asked to remain anonymous.
Family’s gratitude amid tragedy
Although the Frimpong family did not attend the vigil, they released a statement through son Kenneth Frimpong, who thanked the community for its outpouring of support. “We are grateful for everybody who has been supporting the family,” he said.
The boy’s mother, who immigrated from Ghana, told Eyewitness News she is seeking justice for her son. “I want justice for my son,” she said.
Police investigation and possible bullying angle
NYPD Chief of Detectives Joe Kenny said investigators are exploring whether bullying may have contributed to the incident. “Right now we are looking at the possibility the kid was being bullied at school,” Kenny said.
Police are searching for three teenagers seen on surveillance video wearing masks and fleeing the scene. The investigation remains ongoing.
Local schools and nonprofits respond
Students from across the city, including Harlem, gathered at Street Corner Resources, a nonprofit dedicated to youth outreach, to discuss bullying and violence. Dr. Iesha Sekou, the organization’s founder, emphasized the need for proactive measures: “Often kids will let it slide, hope it goes away, but it doesn’t go away. We have to address it now.”
School officials have not released a formal statement, but teachers reported heightened concern among students and staff following the shooting.
Looking ahead
The community’s vigil highlighted both the deep grief over a promising young life lost and a collective demand for safer streets and stronger support for youth. As the investigation continues, local leaders and residents alike are urging authorities to bring those responsible to justice and to implement measures that protect children from violence and bullying.
Original reporting: Brookhaven News – ABC7 New York — read the source article.
