JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A boy has died after he was hit by a car a few minutes after getting off a school bus in Jacksonville, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.
The incident occurred at North University Boulevard and Windermere Drive around 4:27 p.m. Wednesday, police said.
"For some reason," JSO said, "the victim ran out into traffic and was struck by a car traveling northbound."
According to police, the driver of the vehicle remained at the scene. 11-year-old Terry Bryant was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The police sergeant said it is too early to know how fast the driver was going or if they attempted to stop.
Action News Jax spoke with several of Bryant’s family friends.
“He’s such a sweet little boy and always so helpful, always so respectful,” said friend Shim-Chim.
Friends say the young man had just graduated from Arlington Elementary School in May.
“He would take my trash out, and I would give him money,” said his neighbor Melissa Kelly. “He was an extremely, very sweet little boy.”
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Tessa Harvey saw the immediate aftermath.
“I think I’m still in shock to be honest with you about what I saw,” Harvey said. “I see this thing flying through the air, and it wasn’t until later that I realized what it was, a child and his stuff.”
Roni Masabni was working nearby and heard the impact.
“I grabbed like a jug of water to see if, you know, pour it over his face or something,” Masabni said. “(But there was) nothing I could do.”
Friends of the young man call this a tragic day for the community.
“(He was) always there for his siblings, always there for my child, and it’s just so tragic,” Shim-Chim said.