A New Jersey community is mourning after a 7-year-old boy was tragically killed just moments after stepping off his school bus Friday afternoon.
According to the Greenwich Township Police Department, officers responded around 3:40 p.m. to reports of a crash involving a child and a school bus in New Jersey.
When first responders arrived, they found residents already desperately trying to save the young boy’s life.
Police said officers joined neighbors in performing emergency medical care before the child was rushed to the hospital by Gloucester County EMS.
Despite efforts to save him, the boy later died from his injuries.
Authorities have not publicly released the child’s identity, though reports say he was only 7 years old.
Investigators believe the heartbreaking accident happened just seconds after the child exited the school bus.
Neighbors described the terrifying scene as emergency vehicles flooded the normally quiet neighborhood.
“I heard the police and ambulance and all that stuff,” one resident told local reporters.
“Next thing you know, the whole neighborhood’s crawling with red lights and blue lights.”
The neighbor added that he regularly saw the little boy walking to and from the bus stop each day.
“It’s tragic. It’s devastating for the family,” he said. “May God rest his soul.”
Ring camera footage reportedly captured the frantic moments immediately after the child was struck.
According to reports, the video showed a woman running to a nearby home, desperately knocking on the door and begging for help while neighbors rushed toward the scene.
Another witness said two nurses who happened to be nearby immediately began CPR efforts while waiting for paramedics to arrive.
The tragedy has shaken the local community, with churches and schools now stepping in to support grieving residents.
Clonmell Methodist Church announced it would open its doors for anyone impacted by the devastating incident.
Meanwhile, the Greenwich Township School District said counseling services will be made available for students when classes resume Monday.
Police continue to investigate exactly how the fatal accident happened.