LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Community members plan to rally to demand action after the death of a 12-year-old middle school student who police say was hit by an impaired driver while walking to school on Friday morning.
A GoFundMe page organized by his aunt identified the 12-year-old as Christofer Suarez. He was hospitalized in intensive care after being hit by a vehicle and critically injured near the intersection of Owens Avenue and 21st Street.
According to information from the Clark County School District and a local nonprofit organization, Suarez has since died from his injuries.
"Our hearts are broken. As parents, we see the dangers of this intersection every day," Suarez's mother, Priszila Zarate, stated in a news release. "No parent should have to worry if their child will make it to school safely. This intersection needs a traffic light, and we're asking those who represent us to come see for themselves the risks our kids face each morning."
The nonprofit Puentes Las Vegas is organizing a rally for change at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday morning at the intersection where Suarez was hit.
"The goal is to bring firsthand awareness to the unsafe conditions students face daily on their way to school," the organization stated.
The issue of student safety has been at the forefront for many local parents and advocates in recent months, prompting calls for change.
Impaired driving was blamed for the death of Arbor View High School senior McKenzie Scott, who was hit by a car outside the school just a few days before her graduation. As Channel 13 reported, the public outcry after Scott's death led to safety improvements outside Arbor View and prompted the City of Las Vegas to expand its crossing guard program to include all middle schools and three high schools, including Arbor View.
Puentes Las Vegas claims the collision that mortally wounded Suarez is "part of a pattern of dangerous traffic incidents in the area around J.D. Smith Middle School."
"Parents report multiple near-misses, speeding vehicles, and unsafe crossings near school routes in recent months," the organization stated. "Despite repeated concerns from the community, no significant safety improvements have been made to protect children walking to school."
CCSD Superintendent Jhone Ebert issued a statement in response to Suarez's death, writing that "Our hearts are with the J.D. Smith community as well as the student's friends and loved ones as they grieve this unimaginable loss."
"As a community, we need to come together and send the message that we will not tolerate impaired driving," Ebert stated.
While community members rally on Tuesday, the driver accused of hitting Suarez will be back in court. Oh'Ryan Brooks, 27, is scheduled to make his initial appearance at 8 a.m.
According to police, Suarez was walking along the sidewalk and had just stepped off the curb to cross the street when he was hit by an SUV driven by Brooks. Brooks drove away after the collision and was taken into custody a short time later, police said previously.
Channel 13 was in the courtroom on Saturday when Brooks faced a judge for the first time. He is being held in the Clark County Detention Center on a $250,000 bond for DUI and reckless driving resulting in substantial bodily harm, as well as failing to stop at the scene of a crash.
According to Ebert, CCSD is offering support services to students and staff at J.D. Smith Middle School, and counselors will be on-site to offer their services.