12 Year Old Boy Killed By Van on Prospect Park West

Image via @BklynBiker on Twitter

Last night, around 5:45, I noticed helicopters over Prospect Park, and saw that Prospect Park West was jammed up with traffic all the way to Union Street. As I approached Garfield Place, I saw police cars a few blocks away, and a woman walking from that direction told me that a boy had been hit by a car after running into the street to get a ball. 

When I got home, I saw that Park Slope Stoop had a few more details:

At about 5:15pm on Tuesday, a young boy was hit by a car on Prospect Park West at 3rd Street. According to the FDNY, they received a call about a 12-year-old boy being struck by a car, but they say the child was transported by Hatzolah, so they could not provide info on the boy’s condition, though there are reports on Twitterabout serious injuries. There are also reports that the NYPD crash investigators have been requested to the scene.

A friend on Facebook passed along what another friend of hers witnessed at the scene:

Ok a friend saw it happen. He ran after his ball, in uniform and cleats. Tripped, fell on his back, van ran over him. It doesn't look good. He wasn't moving at all. Massive internal injuries. His parents are with him at Methodist.

Keith Williams, of The Weekly Nabe, was also on the scene:

And finally, again from Park Slope Stoop:

Police have released the identity of the boy, Samuel Cohen-Eckstein, who lived in a building on Prospect Park West at the scene of the incident. When police arrived, they say officers found the boy with trauma to his torso, and EMS transported him to Methodist Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Samuel's family and friends. 

UPDATE: Out of respect for Samuel, and his friends & family, comments for this post are now closed.