Overview

• Authorities identified the victim as fourth-grader Anakin Perez, 9, who was struck around 7:40 a.m. outside Ronald E. McNair Elementary and later died at Stroger Hospital.
• Chicago police said the woman driving was taken into custody, issued a citation for failure to exercise due care to a pedestrian, and released without criminal charges as the Major Accidents Unit investigates.
• Perez’s family is demanding criminal charges and shared surveillance footage with reporters that they say shows the child being hit and dragged before the driver left and later returned.
• Parents and local leaders, including Ald. Emma Mitts, are urging Chicago Public Schools to add crossing guards or Safe Passage staffing near McNair, which is not in the Safe Passage program and currently has one crossing guard.
• CPS says grief counselors are supporting students and staff, and the school’s sole crossing guard reported she was stationed a block away at the time and believes closer coverage could have prevented the tragedy.