CLEVELAND (WJW) – The Cleveland Division of Police is investigating after a 7-year-old boy was killed in a hit-and-run while riding his skateboard Friday evening.
It happened around 7:20 p.m. in the 16000 block of Lakeshore Boulevard.
According to Cleveland police, the child was riding his skateboard in the driveway of the parking lot when he was hit by a vehicle and dragged underneath.
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Investigators say the vehicle, described as a large SUV with tinted windows, then pulled out of the parking lot and drove away.
Saturday afternoon, the Fox 8 I-Team learned Cleveland police have found the vehicle believed to be involved the hit-and-run.
When police found the vehicle no one was in it and investigators had the vehicle towed.
The boy, who is reportedly from Shaker Heights, was taken to a nearby hospital where he was later pronounced dead from his injuries.
“That didn’t have to happen to that little boy,” concerned resident and parent Jerrica Mathis said. “He was just simply playing on a skateboard.”
Mathis and her daughter Cyncere Shepherd said they whole community is still in shock over the accident because there are many kids at play in the apartment complex where this happened.
“I have a 5-year-old brother. So, you know, that affects us, too, because that could have been him,” Shepherd said. “That could have been any one of the kids out here, because there’s a lot of kids that’s out here every day. So, for you to just do that, and you could have turned yourself in, or anything. You just go out of here like nothing even happened. That’s not cool.”
Multiple parents who live at Lakeshore Beach Apartments tell Fox 8 the front security gate is not working properly, fixed up in an open state, which could have slowed the driver down while they were exiting the property after the accident. Residents are asking for multiple changes now that a child has lost his life.
“It should be speed limits and they need to put some more speed bumps,” Mathis said.
Residents want drivers to slow down when traveling through the complex, but most importantly they want the hit-skip driver to be caught.
“Come forward with what he did, because that was absolutely wrong,” Mathis said. “You didn’t have to do a child like that. To not stop and check on him, or make sure that he was okay, that’s just absolutely wrong.”
Lakeshore Beach Apartment Management issued a statement after the accident:
“We are deeply saddened by this tragic incident and our thoughts are with the family and entire community during this time. We are supporting local authorities in their investigation.”
Management said said the gate was “fully operational yesterday,” and that it will work with the city to identify areas where speed bumps or additional signs can be added.
Anyone with information is asked to call the department’s accident investigation unit at 216-623-5295 or 216-621-1234. Tipsters can also call Crime Stoppers of Cuyahoga County at 216-252-7463.
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