Trump agrees to grant visa to mother of 15-year old boy who was murdered in New York

Nii Ayitey Brown 09:23 - 01 November 2026

US President Donald Trump has agreed to grant an emergency visa to Doris Adu Gyamfi following the tragic shooting of her 15-year-old son, Javits Frimpong, in New York. Ghana's government will fund her travel expenses so she can attend her son's funeral.

United States President Donald Trump has agreed to grant an emergency visa to the mother of 15-year-old Ghanaian boy Javits Frimpong, who was shot and killed while walking to school in New York.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the development in a post on X on Saturday, October 31, 2026, following a telephone conversation with President Trump.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani

The murder of a child is a pain no parent should have to endure, let alone from thousands of miles away. Javits Frimpong’s mother deserves to say goodbye to her son in person. I just got off the phone with President Trump and he has agreed to grant her visa immediately. All of New York City is mourning this tragedy.
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) October 31, 2026

“Javits Frimpong’s mother deserves to say goodbye to her son in person. I just got off the phone with President Trump and he has agreed to grant her visa immediately,” he wrote.

The arrangement will allow the teenager's mother, Doris Adu Gyamfi, who is currently in Ghana, to travel to the United States to see her son for the last time.

In his post, Mamdani expressed sympathy for the bereaved family and thanked President Trump for agreeing to help.

"The murder of a child is a pain no parent should have to endure, let alone from thousands of miles away. All of New York City is mourning this tragedy," he wrote.

The announcement comes after the teenager was fatally shot on Thursday, October 29, while walking to school in the Claremont neighbourhood of the Bronx.

Javits Frimpong was shot in the abdomen shortly before 9:30 a.m. and was rushed to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

The 15-year-old was a 10th-grade student at DreamYard Preparatory School. He moved from Ghana to the United States in 2025 to live with his father, Thomas Frimpong.

Ghana government to pay mother's travel expenses

This is most appreciated @NYCMayor The Government of Ghana welcomes your intervention and President Trump’s timely decision. We have always known we can count on our own Kwame Mamdani. I spoke with the mother of Javits Frimpong yesterday and assigned officials of Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to assist her with the visa application process. Madam Doris Adu Gyamfi’s pain as a loving mother is unimaginable and indeed everything must be done to ensure she is present to pay her respects. The Mahama Administration will take care of the full cost of Madam Adu Gyamfi’s travels and also stands ready to contribute towards a dignifying funeral. We resolve to continue to work together in securing justice for Javits.
— Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa (@S_OkudzetoAblak) October 31, 2026

Meanwhile, Ghana's government has announced that it will cover the full travel expenses of Doris Adu Gyamfi to enable her to attend her son's funeral in New York.

“The Mahama Administration will take care of the full cost of Madam Adu Gyamfi’s travels and also stands ready to contribute towards a dignifying funeral,” he said.

Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa announced the decision on Saturday, October 31, following the intervention by Mamdani and Trump.

Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa

The minister said he had spoken with the bereaved mother on Friday and assigned officials of the Foreign Affairs Ministry to assist her with the visa application process.

“I spoke with the mother of Javits Frimpong yesterday and assigned officials of Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to assist her with the visa application process”

He also welcomed the intervention by the two leaders, describing President Trump's decision as timely. The Minister said Ghana would continue working with the relevant authorities to ensure justice for Javits.

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