7-Year-Old Struck In West Philly Hit-And-Run
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Police are searching for the driver who struck and injured a young girl, and then fled the scene in West Philadelphia.
It happened just before 7 p.m. Sunday outside the little girl's home at 42nd and Pennsgrove Streets in the city's Belmont section.
Police say the victim, 7-year-old Alure McLean, ran to retrieve a ball in the street when the vehicle hit her, dragging her in the process, then took off.
She was taken to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia in stable condition.
Witnesses say another car had stopped to let McLean get the ball, but the driver behind that person decided to go around the stopped car, and that is when she was hit.
Police describe the striking vehicle as a lime green Mitsubishi Outlander with PA Tag JKY7458.
CBS 3 obtained exclusive cellphone video (seen above) shot by a man who followed the hit-and-run driver. Shawn Smith says he didn't realize the victim was a little girl.
"If I knew it was a 7-year-old, I probably would've stopped him," Smith said. "I wanted his tag number because I knew he hit somebody. If I knew it was a 7-year-old, there's no telling what I would have done."
The vehicle was last seen heading east on Girard Avenue from 38th Street.
"I wish you would just turn yourself in," said Magor Best, the girl's grandfather. "Be man enough or woman enough, whoever the person is driving that vehicle and take responsibility for your actions."
Anyone with information is asked to call police.
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