Mile-End community wants better road safety after child is run over by truck

Community mourns death of 11-year-old Montrealers gathered to mourn the death of 11-year-old Jacob Austerlitz who was run over by a truck.

An 11-year-old boy died after being struck by a grocery delivery truck while crossing the street in Montreal's Mile-End neighbourhood Monday night.

Montreal police (SPVM) say they received several calls around 7:30 p.m. about a collision between a truck and a pedestrian.

They say the truck was heading south on Parc Avenue, turned right on Bernard Street and hit the child trying to cross the intersection. Police say they found the child severely injured underneath the truck. The victim was transported to the hospital, where he died. The driver, a 28-year-old man, was not injured.

Pain and tears were on everyone's faces outside the synagogue where the family of Jacob Austerlitz and their community gathered to mourn on Tuesday.

Mayer Feig, a volunteer paramedic, was the one who had to notify the family.

"It was very tough for me to do, obviously they are grief-stricken beyond belief," he said.

There was an outpour of support as crowds gathered to support the family. It is Jewish tradition to bury the deceased right away to bring relief to their soul.

The investigation is ongoing to determine the circumstances around the death. Police say it's still too early to say whether the driver was at fault.

Meanwhile, people who live in the area say it's a dangerous intersection for pedestrians and want the borough to improve the lighting in the area so those crossing can be seen by drivers.

They also urge drivers to be more careful and disciplined.

Borough Mayor Marianne Giguère said the Plateau-Mont-Royal is looking for a permanent solution like wider sidewalks or curb extensions.