The mother of slain 15-year-old Ghanaian teenager Javits Badu Nkansah Frimpong has called for justice for her son following his fatal shooting in the Bronx, New York.
“I want justice for my son, that’s all,” Doris Adu Gyamfi told the media at the Accra International Airport on Wednesday morning as she prepared to travel to New York to mourn him.
Dressed in black and wearing dark glasses, she spoke as members of the Bronx community continue to pay tribute to the teenager.
A vigil was held in his memory, bringing together Americans and members of the African diaspora. Some participants wore black shirts bearing the words “Stop the Bullying,” while mothers and clergymen offered prayers and called for justice.
A memorial has also been set up near East 170th Street, close to Crotona Park, where Javits collapsed after being shot in the stomach. According to ABC7NY’s Eyewitness News people have been visiting the site to pay their respects. While some parents have brought their children to explain what happened, others have left written tributes on poster boards and candles.
As the memorial grows, the New York Police Department (NYPD) has erected barricades around the site and blocked parts of the sidewalk.
An eyewitness who tried to help Javits said he applied pressure to the teenager’s wound and shouted for assistance but was ignored by passersby.
A grand memorial service is scheduled for Thursday, with the street expected to be closed for the event.
Police are still searching for three teenage suspects in connection with the shooting. CCTV footage reportedly captured one of them fleeing the scene wearing what appeared to be a black hoodie, with a red scarf underneath and wrapped around the head.
Javits’ mother had hoped her son would grow up to become a medical doctor.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com