EAST NEW YORK, Brooklyn — A 10-year-old girl was fatally struck by a bus in Brooklyn on Tuesday morning as she walked to school with her brother, according to police.
Patience Albert was crossing the street when she was struck by a school bus around 6:30 a.m. near the intersection of Crescent Street and Wortman Avenue in East New York, police said.
Officials said the bus was making a right turn when it struck the girl while she was in the crosswalk.
Her 15-year-old brother suffered a fractured ankle.
Patience was initially transported to a nearby hospital with her parents in critical condition, but was then pronounced dead at the hospital, authorities said.
Her family set up a memorial. Patience’s grandmother said she was fun and smart loving. She wanted to be a veterinarian.
“No family should have to suffer something like this,” Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted. “We won’t rest until the streets around every single school are safe for our kids.”
Driver Pedro Colon, 61, remained on scene. Police arrested Colon on charges of failure to yield to a pedestrian and failure to exercise due care. He was also suspended, according to a statement from Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza.
No students were on board the bus at the time of the incident, according to Carranza’s office. The bus was contracted with the Department of Education.
“This is devastating, and my heart goes out to the family and school community,” he said. Carranza is expected to visit the girl’s school to provide support and condolences for students and faculty.
This is now at least the 20th pedestrian killed in city streets so far this year, and the fourth in just 48 hours, according to Transportation Alternatives.
On Monday a 59-year-old woman was killed by a vehicle in the Bronx, while a 26-year-old man was fatally struck in a hit-and-run in Brooklyn Sunday morning.
Editor’s note: Police initially reported it was a boy who was fatally struck, later updating the information that it was a girl.
