Javits Frimpong had been in the United States for only about a year when he was killed. His father, Thomas Frimpong, told reporters that he brought his son from Ghana in the hope of giving him better educational opportunities. Relatives and the father described the tenth-grader as clever, reserved, and someone who mostly stayed home after school. In the days after the shooting the New York Daily News reported that Frimpong had written in a personal journal about his determination to continue his studies and find success in America.

Entries shared in later coverage show him reflecting on being shy, enjoying reading and nature, and valuing his family as a treasure. He wrote about figuring out who he was and noted that when people start to succeed others sometimes try to bring them down. He specifically mentioned his mother and father as the most important members of his family and said they had advised him not to ᴀssociate with certain peers.

Frimpong had expressed a clear ambition to become a physician. The journal and family statements portray a teenager who was still adjusting to life in the Bronx while keeping a low profile. His mother remained in Ghana; reports identify her as Doris Adu Gyamfi and note that she was still there when the news of the shooting reached her. The contrast between the quiet student who wrote about family and future goals and the circumstances of his death on a weekday morning walk to school has been highlighted across coverage from the Daily News, The Guardian and Ghanaian outlets. Police have not released additional personal details beyond confirming his idenтιтy and the basic facts of the shooting near Crotona Place.

He has stated publicly that he believes he knows who is responsible and that the earlier suspension may have played a role, though he has not named individuals. Police have confirmed they are searching for three teenagers seen in black clothing and surgical masks but have not publicly linked the suspects to any school incident or confirmed a motive. The Department of Education has said counseling is available to students and staff at the school. Frimpong, who moved to New York from Ghana in 2000 and brought his son over about a year ago, has emphasized that Javits had no known enemies outside school and spent most of his time indoors.