Thomas Frimpong says the principal of DreamYard Preparatory School called him days before the shooting and told him two students had been suspended after fighting with or bullying his son. According to the father, Javits had reported being harᴀssed at lunch, yet the problems continued until the suspensions. Thomas believes the bullying may be connected to the killing, although he has not publicly named the students or accused them of the shooting. Police have not confirmed any link. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny has said investigators are looking at the bullying angle while also examining whether the attack was a robbery that escalated or a case of mistaken idenтιтy. Kenny described Javits as a student who voluntarily left his phone at home to focus on schoolwork.

The school and the Department of Education issued statements offering condolences and counseling but have not released details of the earlier incident. On November 2 students at DreamYard walked out of class, gathering outside the building to honor Javits and protest bullying and gun violence. Classmates said he tried to make people laugh, played basketball the day before he died, and had friends at school even while fearing the streets outside. Friends noted he stood up for himself during the earlier fight. Police say they have requested information from the Department of Education and are prepared to use subpoenas because the school has not voluntarily turned over records.

No evidence has connected Javits to any gang activity. Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark has urged the suspects to turn themselves in. The walkout and the father’s statements have intensified public focus on whether school officials adequately addressed the reported harᴀssment before the shooting. Classmates described a student who felt safe inside the building but worried once he left campus.

Investigators continue weighing the three possible motives while the search for the three teenage suspects remains open. The family and community members have held multiple vigils. The earlier suspensions, the father’s belief that they are linked to the killing, and the students’ public protest have turned the case into a flashpoint over how schools handle bullying that may later escalate.