Trump to facilitate US visa for mother of Ghanaian teenager shot dead in New York

US President Donald Trump has agreed to facilitate the issuance of a visa to the mother of a Ghanaian teenager who was shot dead while walking to school in New York.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the development on Saturday, following calls by Ghana for justice over the killing of 15-year-old Javits Frimpong, which has sent shockwaves through the Bronx community.

“The murder of a child is a pain no parent should have to endure, let alone from thousands of miles away,” Mamdani said.

The mayor disclosed that Trump gave the assurance during a telephone conversation, agreeing to facilitate an immediate visa for the teenager’s mother, Doris Gyamfi, who resides in Kumasi, Ghana.

However, the White House had yet to independently confirm the arrangement as of Saturday evening, while it was also unclear whether the visa had been issued.

Frimpong was reportedly shot in the abdomen in the morning in a neighbourhood in the Bronx. Police officers rushed him to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, as investigators began searching for three teenage suspects.

The teenager relocated from Ghana in October 2025 to join his father, Thomas Frimpong, with the hope of continuing his education and pursuing a better future.

His father, speaking to journalists in New York, described him as an intelligent boy who aspired to become a medical doctor.

“He was very clever, so he always says he wants to be a physician,” the grieving father said.

Thomas Frimpong also disclosed that his son had complained about persistent bullying at DreamYard Preparatory School. Two students were reportedly suspended over the complaints, although police have not established any link between the alleged bullying and the teenager’s killing.

Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, subsequently reached out to the bereaved father, offering condolences on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama and assuring the family of the government’s support.

“We will pursue justice, and we will make sure that those who did this do not get away with it,” Ablakwa said.

Ghanaian diplomats in New York also visited the family, as the government called for a comprehensive investigation and pledged legal and consular assistance to ensure those responsible were held accountable.

Reacting to Mamdani’s announcement, Ablakwa welcomed Trump’s intervention and said the Ghanaian government would cover the cost of the mother’s journey, assist with the visa process and contribute towards funeral expenses.

“The Government of Ghana welcomes your intervention and President Trump’s timely decision,” he said, acknowledging the cooperation between the authorities in Ghana and the United States.

Bronx Congressman Ritchie Torres also expressed condolences over the teenager’s death, saying: “Our entire borough is mourning a young man who should have had his whole future ahead of him.”

The New York City Department of Education equally expressed sympathy for the family and school community, while pledging to cooperate with investigators.

“Our hearts are with this young person’s family and school community during this unimaginably difficult time,” the department said.

Meanwhile, members of the Ghanaian community, religious leaders and residents held vigils on Saturday to mourn Frimpong and demand justice as police continued investigating the killing. No arrests had been announced, and authorities had yet to establish a motive for the shooting.