An off-duty firefighter struck and killed a colleague’s three-year-old child while he was attempting to park his truck to go to a memorial walk.
Officers were called to the incident in New Castle County, Delaware, where the memorial event took place, Wilmington Police Department said.
The event was held on 24 September for off-duty Wilmington firefighters, family and friends, to commemorate three firefighters who lost their lives at a structure fire in Canby Park on the same day in 2016.
The three-year-old boy was struck at 9.59am and was taken to Wilmington Hospital where he died of his injuries, say officials.
The vehicle and the driver remained on the scene when the police arrived.
Fire Chief John Looney from the Office of Wilmington Fire Department released a statement confirming the child was that of an off-duty firefighter and the man driving the truck was also an off-duty firefighter within their department.
The 3-year-old by died of his injuries after being struck by the vehicle— (Fox 29)
The investigation of the fatal vehicle incident is ongoing under the WPD Traffic Unit.
Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki issued a statement offering his condolences.
“I was profoundly saddened to learn of the devastating incident affecting our firefighting family yesterday morning, which resulted in the tragic death of the young son of a member of the Wilmington Fire Department,” said Mr Purzycki.
