7-year-old boy struck and killed by NYPD tow truck in Brooklyn
By JENNIFER BISRAM
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NEW YORK, NY (WCBS) — A 7-year-old boy was struck and killed by an NYPD tow truck while on his way to school with his mother Thursday in Brooklyn.
The crash happened at around 7:45 a.m. at the intersection of North Portland and Myrtle Avenue in Fort Greene.
Witnesses said the tow truck driver, 54, was on her cellphone and speeding when she ran the red light.
“I was coming to get my baby’s breakfast this morning and the tow truck hit that little boy. He was at a crosswalk. He was coming through the crosswalk, he had the right of way, on a scooter,” said Antwon Hayes. “She hit that little boy and kept going. I had to tell the housing workers to stop her, from her to keep going. The mother’s screaming hysterically, ‘They killed my baby!'”
NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey said the driver stopped immediately and stayed at the scene.
“Our heart goes out to the family of that young boy and his mother, his school, his teachers who were also on the scene, a very tough scene to be at this morning,” said Maddrey.
Candles were being lit in the area where the boy was struck.
It was not immediately clear if the driver will be charged.
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