Boy, 11, fights for life after he’s hit by 999 police car
SHOCKED bystanders have described the “upsetting scenes” after a boy of 11 was struck by a police car as he crossed the road.
The youngster was last night in a critical condition.
Officers and paramedics rushed to the scene in Lancaster at about 8.30pm on Thursday after the collision. The driver had been responding to an emergency call.
Last night, the unnamed child was being treated in Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool after being transferred from
Royal Lancaster Infirmary.
One onlooker revealed how people were screaming after the boy was hit by the Lancashire Police Peugeot.
The woman said: “People were screaming, there were crowds everywhere and there must have been 15 police cars lined up.
“They all arrived with their sirens on.
“It seemed to take such a long time for the ambulance.
“The police car was there with the front end smashed up and the boy had been put in the recovery position.”
One man, who asked not to be named, said: “What happened is awful. He is just a little boy. Everyone is hoping and praying he gets better.” Pictures from the scene show a flattened traffic light post. Yesterday, Chief Supt Karen Edwards of Lancashire Police, said: “The most important thing to say is my thoughts and prayers are with this little boy and with his family.”
She continued: “He remains in a critical condition and as I said our thoughts are with his loved ones at this time.
“They are being supported by specially trained officers.” Chief Supt Edwards added: “I appreciate there will be lots of questions about what has happened and why. I want to reassure you that a full and thorough investigation will be carried out to establish the circumstances.
“We have referred the matter to the Independent Office for Police Conduct and they will be carrying out an independent investigation.
“We will, of course, co-operate fully with them but there may be some details we can’t go into as they will be subject to the IOPC investigation.”
The IOPC said initial evidence indicates the officer driving “had activated his emergency equipment at the time the collision occurred”.