Crime in the City full episode: October 31, 2026

I lost him. I don't know what to do now. A 15-year-old boy is shot and killed in the Bronx. And the former NYPD detective accused in the GWB shooting now faces murder charges. Plus... I wish I was there to help tell you the truth. A man is accused of setting his pregnant wife on fire. Right now, Fox 5's Crime in the City. Here are the crimes across the five boroughs. We begin in the Claremont section of the Bronx where a 15-year-old boy was shot in the abdomen. He later died at the hospital. This is 15-year-old Javits Frimpong. He was a high school student at Dream Yard Prep here in the Bronx. His father said that he had recently been dealing with some bullying at school and that he believes this may have played a role in this. We also We also want to show you some surveillance video From that we got out here at the scene. Now take a look at the top left of the screen. It shows two individuals that appear to match the suspect descriptions put out by the NYPD. Now that's the top left corner of the screen. It shows two males wearing surgical masks. One is pointing what appears to be a weapon. At some point they run out of frame. One of them drops something, returns to pick it up and then both of them run off. Police got a 911 call around 9.30 this morning. Reports of a teenager shot near East 171st and Cortona Place. Once on scene, officers found 15-year-old Javis Frimpong with a gunshot wound to his stomach. They didn't even call an ambulance. They put him in the back of a squad car and rushed him to St. Barnabas Hospital where officials say he did pass away from his injuries. As we mentioned, his father literally just came home from the hospital where his son was pronounced and through that grief. He spoke with us, and he has a message for those who took his son's life. I will tell them to give themselves to the police. I don't think they are going to go free for killing an innocent child. For killing an innocent child. I lost him. Why should I? I don't know what to do now. Even it was, it's my brother who, who, who drove my car to, I don't know what to do. Even when I was coming from Manhattan and I ran red light like two times. I ran red, red light like two times. I never, I've been here for 26 years. I've never, ever heard this before. Never. We want to pass along the suspect information given to us by police. They say they are looking for at least two males, likely teenagers, both wearing black or dark clothing. They were wearing surgical masks at the time. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers. That number, 1-800-577-TIPS. We now head to Lower Manhattan, where Victor Romero, the retired NYPD detective accused of fatally shooting a driver on the George Washington Bridge, has been indicted with murder in the second degree. Manhattan district attorney's office says that after further investigations, further questions asked that they asked the grand jury this morning to consider upgrading the charge from manslaughter to murder too. And that's exactly what happened this afternoon, just after three o'clock. Now let's show you video of 62 year old retired NYPD detective Victor Romero on his way into court this morning, his first public appearance since his arrest last week. He was accompanied by his attorney and made little, if any eye contact and no comments at all When leaving the building, a grand jury again has indicted at Romero on second-degree murder charges this afternoon. Romero is accused of fatally shooting 46-year-old Corin Irvine last Tuesday evening in what's being investigated as a road rage incident. The NYPD says around 6:45, Romero and Irvine nearly collided as they were both entering the George Washington Bridge. Prosecutors say surveillance video shows Romero then aggressively tailgating Irvine's car, pulling up next to it, and then opening fire with at least one shot going We'll be right back. of two later died from his injuries. He was also a well-regarded employee of Con Edison. Victor Romero is free, having posted a million-dollar bail. Now, last week, the initial charge of murder was downgraded to manslaughter by the Manhattan DA. Again, however, a grand jury has now indicted him on second-degree murder charges this afternoon. Criminal defense attorney Adam Conta weighs in on the second-degree murder charge versus manslaughter. Take a listen. This is better for everyone. This is better for the family, because now the family gets a sense that they're being taken seriously, that the case will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Honestly, it's probably better for the defendant as well, because without this, every time this case was talked about, it was gonna be, you got special treatment, you didn't deserve to be charged with manslaughter. And it would have been really, really difficult for his attorneys to get anywhere with any mitigation because of that. Romero's appearance in court today was all of about 10 minutes. If it was that long, he will be back in court on November 23rd. Over in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. A pregnant woman is hospitalized after her estranged husband allegedly set her on fire inside her apartment. I've also learned this is not the first time that this woman was targeted by this same man before. Now according to police reports from Monticello police, this man was arrested a decade ago for shooting at the same woman in front of their daughter who was just an infant at the time. Now according to police reports, that woman also told police that that man kicked their Now, I want to show you who I'm talking about. Take a look. This is his mugshot from back in 2016. This is Kenneth Rickenbacker. He's 44 years old now. Court records show he went on to receive a nine-year prison sentence for illegal gun possession in that case. Fast forward 11 years, and now he's accused of setting that same woman on fire here in Crown Heights. Police tell us this latest crime happened around 5 Saturday evening inside the Kingsborough houses. That 38-year-old mother was found with burns on her body after police say some type of substance was thrown on her and ignited. Police sources also telling me their 11-year-old child was right there when it happened. Again, the same child who was there in that Monticello incident. Rickenbacker, who sources tell me is her estranged husband, is now charged with attempted murder, assault, arson and several other crimes. Neighbors here tell me he had only recently got out of prison and that he did not live with this woman. It was always a conflict between, yeah, domestic always. It makes me feel real bad. I wish I was there to help her. I wish I was there to help her, to tell you the truth. That sounds kind of crazy. We usually don't get stuff like that going on over here, so that's a little unsettling. Now, despite what this woman went through, I'm told by police that she is in stable condition at the hospital. I'm also learning from court records that this man had a previous felony drug conviction that was in Suffolk County back in 2007. Up in Central Park, people are on edge after police say a 39-year-old woman was threatened with a knife and raped. And police have released new images of the suspect in the Central Park rape that happened over the weekend. Good day, it's Robert Moses live at Central Park where many people remain on edge this morning. Robert? Dan and Rosanna, another beautiful fall day will bring New Yorkers and tourists alike here to Central Park. And this weekend, the city prepares to welcome thousands more for the marathon on Sunday. All of this life in the city plays out with the specter of a rapist still on the loose. Police released these new surveillance images of a man wanted in connection with that rape that It took place Saturday night in the park. Near East 67th Street and East Drive, authorities say that he approached a 39-year-old woman, threatened her with a knife, forced her into a wooded area of the park, and then raped her. A passerby called 911. The victim was taken to the hospital in stable condition. I want you to take another good look at these images that police released late last night. They are clear enough for someone who knows this man to recognize him and come forward. And indeed, if you have any information police want to hear from you, call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS. Down in the Diamond District, a woman is accused of stabbing two Jewish men with a syringe and it was all caught on camera. The defendant is charged at both the federal and state levels. Today's hearing had to do with the state's case. Let's show you the video of 32-year-old Anna Mokalova. Now, she is charged with second-degree assault as a hate crime and second-degree menacing also as a hate crime. Prosecutors say on October 21st, she followed a man dressed in Hasidic Jewish clothing near West 47th Street in the Diamond District and stabbed him with what is believed to be a syringe. Police say she then followed a second man who was nearby, stabbing him also. Authorities say These attacks were caught on surveillance video and believe that the men were targeted simply because they were Jewish. A group of demonstrators were outside the courthouse this morning protesting what they say is clearly anti-Semitism. Take a listen. You know, no matter what, no matter how little, how big, an attack is an attack. And this was a horrific one. And we need to make sure that overall Jew hatred is full stop unacceptable. We won't stand for it. Additional charges for Mokolova include aggravated harassment and criminal possession of a weapon. She will be back here in court for the state on December 3rd. And finally, we leave the city for Moonachie, New Jersey, where one person was killed in a state trooper-involved shooting. Fox 5's Teresa Briello live at the scene. Teresa, now that you're there, what can we see? We're seeing quite a large police presence, Natasha, from a number of different surrounding agencies, Carlstadt Police, Rutherford, Secaucus, Moonachie, Woodbridge, and New Jersey State Police. I'm going to draw your attention. I know it's very tough to see because of the dark and the flashing lights. I'm going to draw your attention to a black, what appears to be SUV, that has crashed into the side of that building with the awning on the corner there. We don't know exactly how that car is involved in all of this, but we can tell you that the police officers and troopers that are here on scene have been circling that car, looking inside of it, checking around it. As we understand, I was just told by a trooper that was passing by, he said, quote, all I can say is that it's a police-involved shooting and we'll be in touch for more information. We believe it to be a trooper-involved shooting. We know one person, At least one person injured. Taken away to Hackensack University Medical Center we believe, you for joining us. vehicles are situated. Just to kind of give you an idea, if you're not familiar with Munaki or you're not familiar with this area of the Meadowlands, we are basically in an industrial park. There is only industrial buildings around here. So you wouldn't be here unless you needed to be here or you knew these roads. We're going to see how that fits in to this situation. Again, we have no idea why this officer was following or pursuing after that car, if they are involved in any way, we're hoping to get those information as the night unfolds. That's this week's Crime in the City, available on Fox Local, Spotify, and YouTube.