Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, Victor Emmanuel Smith, has called for a thorough and impartial investigation into the fatal shooting of 15-year-old Ghanaian teenager Javits Badu Nkansah Frimpong in New York.
In a condolence message to the bereaved family, the Ambassador said the circumstances surrounding the teenager’s death were deeply disturbing, particularly in light of reports that he had experienced racial bullying at school.
He urged law enforcement authorities to examine all relevant circumstances, establish the facts and identify those responsible.
“In light of the reported experiences of racial bullying he endured at school, it is imperative that all relevant circumstances be examined carefully and impartially,” Mr Smith stated.
Javits was shot by unidentified assailants at about 9:20 a.m. on Thursday, October 29, while on his way to school in the Bronx. He later died at a hospital.
The Ambassador also called for stronger efforts to protect children from bullying, racial discrimination and violence, stressing that every child should be able to learn and pursue their dreams in safety and dignity.
He disclosed that Javits had moved to the United States barely a year ago, after his father, Thomas Frimpong, brought him there in search of better educational opportunities and a brighter future.
Mr Smith extended condolences on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama, the government and people of Ghana, assuring the family that the Ghanaian Embassy shared in their grief.
Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has pledged government support to the family, including engagement with US authorities and appropriate legal and consular assistance as they seek justice.
The circumstances surrounding the reported bullying and its possible connection to the shooting remain matters for investigators to establish.
