Civil rights lawyer Ben Crump has signed on to represent the family of Javits Frimpong, the 15-year old Ghanaian teenager who was shot and killed on his way to school, as police search for the shooters.
Crump has worked on several prominent civil rights cases and represented the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Trayvon Martin, among others. His firm has secured billions of dollars for their civil rights and wrongful death cases.
“Javits was a 15-year-old boy walking to school, something children across this country do every morning. He came here from Ghana a year ago dreaming of becoming a doctor, and he deserved to make that walk safely, like every child does, no matter where they come from,” said Crump.
“We will stand with Javits’ family every step of the way until the people responsible are held accountable and his family has the answers they deserve.”
Frimprong was shot in the stomach on his way to school on Oct. 29. Surveillance footage shows Frimpong being chased down the street by a masked assailant wearing all black. He later died at St. Barnabas Hospital.
Frimpong had arrived in the United States from Ghana a year before his murder, joining his father, a yellow cab driver, in the Bronx. His father told ABC7 New York and Fox 5 New York that he believed his son’s death was connected to a previous bullying incident at his school, DreamYard Prep. He was informed that two students were suspended for bullying by the school’s principal.
According to Crump’s firm, the NYPD was pursuing multiple possible motives and have not publicly identified anyone connected with the shooting.
Frimpong’s death has sparked outrage online and locally, as people mourn the tragedy. Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Frimpong’s mother was granted a visa to attend his funeral following a phone call with President Donald Trump.
A candlelight vigil for Frimpong, organized by his family and friends, alongside the African Advisory Council, the National Council of Ghanaian Associations and the National Ghana Parade Council, will be held at Lou Gehrig Plaza on Nov. 7 at 4 p.m.
Reach Marina Samuel at msamuel@schnepsmedia.com. For more coverage, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!
