Friends and family are mourning a toddler who was struck and killed by a vehicle in West Philadelphia Sunday night.
Police say 23-month-old Ameen Rorie was on the 4800 block of Merion Avenue at 6:45 p.m. when he ran in between parked vehicles. He then ran into the street and was struck by a white Chevy Trailblazer that was traveling westbound on Merion Avenue towards 49th Street.
"By the time he ran on the street it was just too late," said John Robinson, the boy's cousin. "The car ran him completely over. I had to come out and get him from up under the car."
Ameen was taken to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia where he was pronounced dead at 7:13 p.m. Police say the striking vehicle remained on scene.
Family members told NBC10 Ameen was visiting his grandmother on Merion Avenue at the time of the accident.
"We call him Scooty," Robinson said. "He's a good little boy. He was just out here playing."
Police say the 30-year-old woman driving the SUV cooperated with the investigation. Police say there is no indication that the driver was speeding at the time of the accident. Residents in the neighborhood told NBC10 they've had issues with heavy traffic and kids playing close to the street.
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"The sign right there says 'drive carefully' because there's a lot of children on the block," Robinson said. "But that don't mean nothing. We get a lot of people flying up this block all the time. We've got kids out here. It's dangerous."
