Government consoles family of Joseph Owusu second Ghanaian killed in New York

The Permanent Mission of Ghana to the United Nations recently paid a visit to the family of Joseph Owusu, a 24-year-old Ghanaian caregiver who was tragically killed in the Bronx. This visit comes in the wake of another fatal shooting that occurred just days earlier, when 15-year-old Ghanaian Javits Frimpong also lost his life in the same New York borough.

The deaths of the two young Ghanaian men have sparked concern among the Ghanaian community in New York and their families in Ghana, with calls for further investigation and accountability. The delegation, led by Deputy Permanent Representative Ben Dotsel Malor and Consul-General Anthony El-Adas, represented Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who joined the visit remotely to offer condolences.

In a statement released by Ghana’s Permanent Mission to the UN on November 4, 2026, Ablakwa expressed his shock and sadness over the news, emphasizing that the government was standing by the family and committed to working with US authorities to ensure a thorough investigation. The minister further assured the family that Ghana would engage with the appropriate US authorities as the investigation progressed.

Joseph Owusu had worked as a caregiver for individuals with disabilities and was also a member of the choir at his local Methodist church. He is mourned by his family, who remember him as a beloved son and brother. His brother, Kwadwo, called for a comprehensive and transparent police investigation into the circumstances surrounding Joseph’s death, urging that any responsible parties be held accountable.

The family has been informed that an autopsy is being conducted as the investigation continues, but no additional details about the incident or the cause of death have been disclosed in the statement.