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Driver Released Without Charges After 9-Year-Old Is Killed Outside Chicago School

Police describe an active investigation with only a traffic citation issued.

Overview

  • Anakin Perez, 9, was struck shortly after 7:40 a.m. Thursday near McNair Elementary on West Walton Street and was pronounced dead at Stroger Hospital.
  • The female driver was taken into custody, released without criminal charges, and cited for "pedestrian in roadway—due care," according to Chicago police.
  • The Major Accidents Unit is leading the probe as the medical examiner awaits a final cause and manner of death.
  • Security video and witnesses show the boy crossing toward the school before being hit by a light-colored sedan that later returned, with some witnesses saying the vehicle was moving fast.
  • Relatives and neighbors are demanding tougher charges and immediate safety measures, urging more crossing guards or Safe Passage staffing at a school that currently has only one guard.