Ghanaian rapper Michael Owusu Addo, popularly known as Sarkodie, has expressed grief over the death of 15-year-old Ghanaian teenager Javits Badu Nkansah Frimpong, who was fatally shot in the Bronx, New York.
In a Facebook post on Saturday, October 31, the award-winning musician reflected on the tragedy and called for greater attention to parenting and the values instilled in children.
Sarkodie used the incident to highlight the importance of raising young people with strong values, while expressing pride in the upbringing of many Ghanaian children despite the challenges facing the country.
The teenager was shot in the abdomen shortly before 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 29, while walking near a school in the Claremont neighbourhood of the Bronx.
According to police, officers found Javits with a gunshot wound and rushed him to hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
The New York Police Department is searching for suspects in connection with the shooting. The motive remains unclear, and investigators have not established whether reports of bullying at the teenager’s school were connected to the attack.
Javits had moved from Ghana to the United States about a year ago to live with his father, Thomas Frimpong.
His death has drawn reactions from Ghanaian officials and members of the public. Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, Victor Emmanuel Smith, has called for a thorough and impartial investigation, particularly in light of reports that the teenager experienced racial bullying.
The government has also pledged to work with US authorities to pursue justice for the family.
