NEW YORK, United States – US President Donald Trump has agreed to grant a visa to the mother of a 15-year-old Ghanaian boy who was fatally shot while walking to school in New York, allowing her to travel from Ghana to say goodbye to her son, Mayor Zohran Mamdani has announced.
Mamdani said he spoke directly with Trump on Saturday, October 31, and secured the commitment after raising the family’s situation with the president.
“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 boy’s mother deserved the opportunity to mourn her son in person, despite being thousands of miles away.
The announcement followed the killing of Javits Frimpong, who was shot in the abdomen shortly before 9:30am on Thursday, October 29, while walking to school in the Bronx.
He was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Ghanaian Government Steps In to Help Mother
Frimpong moved from Ghana to New York about a year ago to live with his father, Thomas Frimpong, according to US Representative Ritchie Torres, who represents the Bronx.
His mother, Doris Adu Gyamfi, remained in Ghana following his relocation.
Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa, welcomed the intervention by Mamdani and Trump, saying Ghanaian officials were coordinating with the family to facilitate the visa process.
Ablakwa said Ghana’s government would cover the mother’s travel expenses and was prepared to contribute towards the funeral arrangements.
The minister also pledged cooperation with US authorities in efforts to secure justice for the teenager.
Police Investigate Fatal Bronx Shooting
Frimpong’s death has prompted grief in the Bronx, with community members and political leaders mourning the teenager and calling for accountability.
His father described him as a quiet boy and told reporters that he had recently raised concerns about bullying at school.
Thomas said the school’s principal had informed him that two boys had been disturbing his son and had been suspended.
He said he contacted Javits after learning about the reported bullying, but his son reassured him that he was okay.
Police have not publicly established a motive for the shooting, and the allegations of bullying have not been confirmed as being connected to the killing.
Authorities were still searching for those responsible, with no arrests reported in the initial accounts of the investigation.
