New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Saturday, October 31, 2026, that President Donald Trump agreed to grant an emergency visa to Doris Adu Gyamfi, the mother of 15-year-old Javits Frimpong, who was killed in the Bronx earlier that week. Mamdani said the agreement followed a telephone call with the president.
“Javits Frimpong's mother deserves to say goodbye to her son in person. I just got off the phone with President Trump and he has agreed to grant her visa immediately,” Mamdani wrote on X.
The mayor said the child’s death meant “a pain no parent should have to endure, let alone from thousands of miles away.” He added: “All of New York City is mourning this tragedy.”
The city announcement did not name a visa category or explain how the expedited application would be handled. The visa had not been described as issued.
Ghana is helping Gyamfi begin the visa process
Gyamfi lives in Kumasi, Ghana’s second-largest city, and was expected in Accra on Monday to start the application process. Ghanaian Foreign Minister Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa said he spoke with her Friday and assigned Foreign Ministry officials to assist.
Ghanaian President John Mahama’s administration will pay the full cost of her travel and is prepared to contribute toward the funeral, Ablakwa said. Officials expect Gyamfi to arrive in the United States in the coming days as the family makes farewell arrangements.
Ablakwa welcomed Mamdani’s intervention and the presidential decision, writing: “The Government of Ghana welcomes your intervention and President Trump's timely decision. We have always known we can count on our own Kwame Mamdani.”
The announcement gave Gyamfi a route to begin the trip, but left the visa type and processing arrangements unspecified. Ghana’s government is coordinating her application.
Frimpong was shot on his way to school
Frimpong was walking to DreamYard Preparatory School in the Bronx neighborhood of Claremont on Thursday, October 29, when he was shot in the abdomen shortly before 9:30 a.m. Police received a report of gunfire near Crotona Park at about 9:24 a.m.
Officers took the 10th-grade student to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he died. He was initially listed in stable condition before succumbing to his injuries, according to accounts of the incident.
The killing occurred a year after Frimpong came from Ghana to live with his father. Rep. Ritchie Torres, a Democrat who represents the Bronx, said the teenager arrived in 2025 to join his father and begin a new life in the United States.
Police are looking for three teenage suspects
Police are searching for three boys believed to be between 16 and 18 years old. Authorities said they were dressed in black and wore medical or blue surgical masks; they were last seen running from the scene toward nearby Crotona Park. No arrests had been made, and police had not announced a motive.
Surveillance video reportedly showed Frimpong running as a person dressed in black followed him. Another recording appeared to show masked people fleeing. Police have not publicly tied the killing to reports of bullying.
The NYPD is asking anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers. Tips can be called in at 800-577-TIPS; Spanish-language callers can use 888-57-PISTA. The department also accepts tips online and through @NYPDTips on X, and says calls and messages remain confidential.
The family says Frimpong had reported bullying
Thomas Frimpong, a New York yellow cab driver, said his son had told him about bullying at school. The father said the principal had told him two students were disturbing Javits and had suspended them.
“He said two guys are disturbing my son so he has suspended the two guys. My son is at school. He's innocent, so I call him. I talk with my son, he said 'dad, I'm OK.'”
Thomas Frimpong said his son had repeatedly complained about being bullied. He suspects the harassment could be connected to the attack, but investigators have not confirmed a link. Police have not established a motive.
The father described Javits as “clever” and “quiet.” He told reporters: “I lost him. I don't know what to do now.” He also urged those responsible to turn themselves in, saying he did not think they should go free after killing an innocent child.
Ghana and city officials are supporting the family
Ablakwa said Ghanaian officials in New York were coordinating with local authorities and that his ministry would work with U.S. officials to pursue justice. Ghana’s Foreign Ministry condemned the killing Friday, called for a thorough investigation and offered legal and consular support.
“We will pursue justice, and we will make sure that those who did this do not get away with it,” Ablakwa said. Ghana’s ambassador to the United States, Victor Emmanuel Smith, called for an impartial inquiry and said reported bullying should receive close scrutiny. Ghanaian diplomats in New York visited the family, and Ablakwa contacted Thomas Frimpong to offer condolences and state support.
The New York City Department of Education said it was providing counseling and other support to affected students, families and school staff, while also assisting the NYPD investigation. The Mamdani administration said it was coordinating help for the family, school and surrounding neighborhood through the city’s Office of Community Safety.
A vigil drew relatives, religious leaders and community members to the place where Javits collapsed. A Saturday rally brought city officials, community leaders and local organizations together to call for action against gun violence. Deputy Mayor for Community Safety Renia Francois attended to offer condolences on behalf of the mayor’s administration.
Ablakwa said Ghana would continue working with U.S. authorities to secure justice for Javits. Gyamfi was expected in Accra Monday to begin the visa process.
