The family of a 24-year-old Guinean immigrant, who was on his way to a Bronx mosque when he was fatally struck in a hit-and-run incident, is calling on the driver of the vehicle to turn herself in.
According to the New York Post, the victim, identified as Thierno Balde, was cycling to the mosque to pray on the morning of February 23 when a Jeep Grand Cherokee struck and killed him. Police said the fatal incident occurred at the intersection of Melrose Avenue and East 161st Street.
The incident, which was captured on surveillance video, shows the vehicle continuing to move after the fatal collision. Smoke is also seen emanating from the car when the female driver brings it to a stop before she exits the vehicle and walks away.
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“I spoke to our mother this morning. She just wants justice,” Thierno’s brother, Mamadou Balde, told the news outlet. “She’s a person of faith and she believes in destiny,” he added.
“Imagine your son, 24 years old, going out to pray and then someone hits him — you can’t even explain that,” Mamadou Balde continued. “Put yourself in his mother’s shoes. Think if you had a 24-year-old boy that is trying to achieve his goals and then someone comes and hits him and runs. How would you feel?”
Police said Thierno was pronounced dead after he was taken to a hospital. Authorities are also yet to apprehend the driver, the New York Post reported. “He has his bachelor’s [degree] in bank insurance that he got in Guinea,” Mamadou Balde said about his deceased brother.
“He moved here five months ago and was doing ESL trying to learn the English language. Then after that [he] was going to pursue a career in either bank insurance or computer science.”
The deceased victim’s family is entreating the driver to turn herself in. “Put yourself in my mother’s shoes,” Mamadou Balde said. “Have a little bit of conscience.”
