NYPD tow truck strikes, kills 7-year-old boy on the way to school with his mom, police say

A 7-year-old boy was killed in Brooklyn, New York on Thursday morning when a New York Police Department tow truck struck him while he was crossing the street, police say.

The accident took place in the borough's Fort Greene Park neighborhood at about 7:45 a.m. in the morning as the victim and his mother were walking on a crosswalk on their way to school, said Jeffrey Maddrey, the NYPD chief of department, during a press briefing at department's headquarters in the city.

Maddrey said that the truck struck the boy as the driver tried to make a right turn onto a street in downtown Brooklyn.

"The child went down, the tow truck operator stopped immediately," said Maddrey, adding that emergency medical workers arrived and pronounced the boy dead.

The driver of the truck, a 54-year-old woman, remained at the scene, said the police.

Maddrey also visited the site of the accident and interacted with community members and teachers from the victim’s school.

“It was a very tough scene to be at this morning,” he said.

The police chief says the department is actively investigating the incident and that more details will be made available later.

Drug deals:Ex-NYPD officer charged with selling fentanyl and heroin on-duty, prosecutors say

'Senseless loss of life'

City councilmember Crystal Hudson, who represents Fort Greene, in a statement, criticized the NYPD for having “a lack of discipline and care in the field” and causing "frequent reckless driving incidents".

“This morning we were devastated to learn of the tragic death of one of our youngest neighbors,” said Hudson. “This is the worst possible outcome, and, yet we are forced to reckon with it all too often.”

Hudson said that initial reporting and eyewitness accounts suggest that the driver was attempting to beat a yellow light.

"We mourn this senseless loss of life," said Hudson, adding that her office will work closely with the victim's family for support and ensure that the officer is held accountable.

'This is a tragedy': Eyewitness accounts

An eyewitness who was present on the scene told the New York Times that the boy was riding a bright green scooter next to his mother, who was pushing another child in a stroller, when he was struck. The witness told the media outlet that the truck's driver appeared to be trying to beat a yellow light when she hit the boy.

This was also posted on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, by a Fox 5 New York reporter.

Additionally, multiple witnesses told StreetsBlogNYC that the tow truck driver was speeding and was on her phone, while the accident happened and didn't stop after she hit the boy, contrary to the police's statements.

The witnesses told the local media outlet that the driver dragged the kid for almost 100 feet, as the mother ran behind them, and only stopped when a NYCHA employee stood in front of the truck.

"This is a tragedy. It's a loving community," a resident of the area told StreetsBlog. "My daughter goes to school right up the street. It could have been her."

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @saman_shafiq7.

Lookback:Rampage in Maine is the 36th mass killing this year. Here's what happened in the others