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After arrest of NYPD traffic agent in boy’s death, Fort Greene parents demand street safety
By
Michelle Bocanegra
,
Charles Lane
and
Jessica Gould
Published Oct 27, 2023
Modified Oct 27, 2023
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Brittany Kriegstein/Gothamist
By
Michelle Bocanegra
,
Charles Lane
and
Jessica Gould
Published Oct 27, 2023
Modified Oct 27, 2023
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An NYPD employee who was driving a tow truck that fatally struck a 7-year-old in Brooklyn on Thursday morning has been arrested, police said Friday.
Officials said that Stephanie Sharp, a 54-year-old traffic enforcement agent, was been charged with failure to yield to a pedestrian or bicycle and failure to exercise due care.
The boy’s death has sparked outrage among neighborhood parents who say they have been pressing the city to make basic traffic safety upgrades to no avail. Several nearby schools surround the crosswalk where the child died on Myrtle and North Portland Avenues, and parents have been clamoring for crossing guards at the intersection and others near the Brooklyn schools long before the child was killed this week.
Many Fort Greene parents and caregivers interviewed by Gothamist said they have long worried about distracted drivers, especially those making right turns in crowded intersections where the cars park all the way to the edge of the cross street.
“What happened yesterday is a tragedy and it’s one of multiple tragedies in this area,” said Pamela Reed, a Clinton Hill resident whose three children attend P. S. 20**,** a few blocks away from where the child died. “I’ve talked to so many moms who have been crying. Every moment as a pedestrian or a cyclist, you feel like you’re putting your life in danger in New York City.”
Those who witnessed the death were especially traumatized.
“I saw and I was shocked because the boy was so small. I didn't expect it, but he was a kid and I couldn't feel OK after that,” said Beyza Mutlu, a 25 year-old nanny who wants police to give more tickets to drivers who don’t pay attention to the road.
“They just don't care. They’re so dangerous around here,” she said. “I'm her nanny so I'm so scared to walk around because I don't want her to get hurt.”
Sharp is accused of driving the tow truck that struck the child at the Fort Greene intersection as he was making his way through the intersection on a scooter shortly after 7:45 a.m. Thursday. Officials said the boy’s mother was behind him, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The child attended Brooklyn Prospect Downtown Elementary School, according to parents at the school. Attorney information for Sharp was not immediately available.
By mid-Friday afternoon, more than 2,000 local parents and other residents had signed on to a letter asking Mayor Eric Adams and city leaders to address persistent complaints about traffic safety in the neighborhood.
“Many children witnessed the aftermath of this horrific event on their morning walks to school,” the letter reads. “We can only imagine the heartbreaking loss his family is feeling. These needless deaths are preventable, and they must stop.”
Among their demands for safety is a plea for crossing guards at the intersection — and others located near Brooklyn schools.
“Many intersections in the area have had crossing guards but they have been defunded in recent years, despite traffic getting worse and more dangerous,” the letter reads.
An NYPD spokesperson said crossing guards are now covering the intersection where the boy was killed, and the department will continuously evaluate that coverage. The spokesperson added that while more than 480 vacant school crossing guard positions were cut in the city's executive budget this year, no active positions were eliminated, and the NYPD is committed to hiring additional school crossing guards "up to the authorized headcount."
Spokespeople for Adams did not immediately comment on the parents' concerns. The union that represents traffic enforcement agents also did not immediately respond to inquiries.
Several parents who spoke to Gothamist near the site of the killing said crossing guards bring relief when crossing the street.
“It’s peace of mind that she'll stop other cars or any other vehicle that may not be following like the light signals,” said Daisy Flores, a 31-year-old mother of two. “She knows our kids, so we're perfectly fine.”
“But,” Flores adds, stroking her child’s head, “we pick them up anyway.”
This story and headline has been updated with additional information.
Tagged
nypd
public safety
fatal collision
Michelle Bocanegra
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Charles Lane
Charles is a Day-of reporter focused on breaking news and enterprise. He’s very friendly and can be reached at [email protected], or more securely on whatsapp/signal 631-295-6715
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Jessica Gould
Jessica is the education reporter for WNYC and Gothamist. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Jessica reported on the shutdown and reopening of the nation’s largest school system, highlighting the unprecedented impacts on learning, health and mental health for students, staff and families. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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