OCTOBER 31, 2026
Contact: media@haitianbridge.org,  Paige Censale, pcensale@haitianbridge.org

SAN DIEGO, CA — Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA) mourns the tragic killing of 15-year-old Javits Frimpong, a Ghanaian immigrant fatally shot while walking to school in the Bronx, New York, on October 29. Javits arrived in the United States just one year ago, seeking a brighter future alongside his father. Instead, his life was cut short by the very violence that continues to devastate communities across America. HBA extends its deepest condolences to the Frimpong family and calls for a thorough investigation and accountability.

His death reflects a national crisis demanding urgent policy intervention. According to the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, 2,214 children ages 1–17 died from firearms in 2024, making gun violence the leading cause of death among American children in that age group for the fifth consecutive year. These deaths are not inevitable; they reflect a persistent failure to prioritize children’s safety.

“A father brought his son to America believing he was giving him a future, only to lose him to a bullet on his way to school. That is a heartbreaking indictment of our national priorities,” said Guerline Jozef, Executive Director of Haitian Bridge Alliance. “We cannot continue to speak of protecting children while allowing gun violence to steal their lives. Whether a child is born in America or arrives here seeking refuge and opportunity, their right to live in safety must be nonnegotiable. Our children deserve more than condolences. They deserve courageous leadership and meaningful action.”

Haitian Bridge Alliance calls on federal, state, and local leaders to pursue a fundamental shift in public policy—one that treats gun violence as a national public health emergency, strengthens firearm safety measures, expands community-based violence prevention, and requires schools to respond effectively to threats and bullying.

ABOUT HAITIAN BRIDGE ALLIANCE

Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA), also known as “The Bridge”, is a grassroots community organization that advocates for fair and humane immigration policies, foreign policy, and provides migrants and immigrants with humanitarian, legal, and social services, with a particular focus on Black migrants, the Haitian community, women and girls, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and survivors of torture and other human rights abuses. HBA also seeks to elevate the issues unique to Black migrants and builds solidarity and collective movement toward policy change. Anpil men chay pa lou (“Many hands make the load light”). Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook: @haitianbridge