A 17‑year‑old suspect was arraigned Thursday in Bronx Criminal Court on a murder charge in the killing of 15‑year‑old Javits Frimpong. The boy was shot to death while walking to school two weeks earlier.
Supporters gathered outside the courthouse chanting, “Justice for Javits,” while family members and community residents watched the proceedings from inside. Civil‑rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the Frimpong family, said the Bronx district attorney does not believe bullying was the motive, despite the family’s early concerns.
Community reaction and ongoing investigation
Community activist Gugu Makhari expressed the pain of seeing a child both victim and perpetrator, saying, “It hurts me as a mother, knowing that that’s a child that killed a child.” The case is set to go before a grand jury on Monday, and police are still searching for two additional suspects linked to the shooting.
Crump called the incident “a tragedy upon tragedy” and urged it to become a teachable moment for a broader discussion on stopping gun violence in the community.
The arraignment did not clarify whether the teen will be tried as an adult or if he was the actual shooter. The Bronx District Attorney’s Office has not released further details on the other suspects.
Original reporting: Brookhaven News – ABC7 New York — read the source article.
