Ben Crump to represent family of Javits Frimpong, 15-year-old killed on his way to school

The civil rights attorney says the family deserves answers and accountability after Javits Frimpong was killed just one year after moving from Ghana to New York.

The family of Javits Frimpong, the 15-year-old Ghanaian teenager fatally shot while walking to school in the Bronx, has retained prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump as they seek answers and accountability for his killing.

According to a Nov. 6 press release from Crump’s law firm sent to theGrio, Crump will represent the family of Frimpong, who was shot on the morning of Oct. 29 in the Claremont section of the Bronx, just blocks from his school. He was taken to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he later died.

Frimpong had moved from Ghana to New York in 2025 to live with his father. The teenager reportedly dreamed of becoming a doctor.

In a statement announcing his involvement, Crump emphasized that Frimpong was simply doing something millions of children do every morning: walking to school.

“Javits was a 15-year-old boy walking to school, something children across this country do every morning,” Crump said. “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.”

Crump added that his firm would stand with the family until those responsible are held accountable and Frimpong’s loved ones receive the answers they deserve.

The attorney’s involvement comes as investigators continue examining the circumstances surrounding the teenager’s death. As TheGrio previously reported, Frimpong’s father, Thomas Frimpong, said school officials had informed him that two students accused of bullying his son had been suspended shortly before the shooting. Police have been pursuing school records as part of their investigation, but have not established whether the alleged bullying was connected to the killing.

Frimpong’s death has sparked grief and calls for justice throughout the Bronx and Ghanaian communities. His classmates and neighbors have also gathered to remember the teenager and demand an end to violence against young people.

Police are investigating several possible motives and have not publicly identified anyone in connection with the shooting.