INDIANAPOLIS — A 9-year-old boy is dead, and a 5-year-old boy is injured after police say a man struck the children with his vehicle and then fled the scene Sunday afternoon on the city’s northwest side. According to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, at 1:33 p.m., officers were called to the 6700 block of Eagle Pointe Drive North on a report of a child lying in the street. That location is an apartment complex located off West 46th Street and Inland Drive East. The scene of a fatal crash on Indy’s northwest side on Oct. 4, 2026. (Circle City Broadcasting Photo/Dante Stanton) Arriving officers found two children who had been hit by a vehicle. The vehicle that hit the children did not stay on the scene, according to police. The 9-year-old boy was taken to the hospital in critical condition, where he later died. The other child is in stable condition, police say. Shoes and toys lay on the road after a child died and another was injured after they were both hit by a fleeing vehicle. (Circle City Broadcasting Photo/Dante Stanton) Less than three hours after the incident, IMPD says a man was arrested and preliminarily charged with leaving the scene of an accident causing death. Police say they were able to locate the man’s vehicle using automated license plate reader (ALPR) technology. Officers reviewed footage of the scene, from which they obtained his license plate number. Lawrence Police officers located his vehicle in the 10300 block of Pendleton Pike, where they took him into custody. A booking photo was not immediately available. On Sunday evening, Indianapolis City-County Council President Maggie A. Lewis issued the following statement regarding the incident: “I recently learned of the tragic hit-and-run crash in our community that claimed the life of a 9-year-old child, and I am heartbroken by this devastating loss. My deepest condolences are with his family, and I am praying for the 5-year-old child who remains hospitalized in stable condition and for his family’s continued strength. “I commend IMPD and Lawrence Police for their swift work in identifying and arresting a suspect. Accountability matters, particularly when a child’s life has been lost. “But this tragedy also demands that we take a hard look at traffic and pedestrian safety in our neighborhoods. Our children deserve to be safe on the streets and in the communities they call home. We, as a community, must continue to work together with law enforcement and city agencies to identify dangerous areas, strengthen pedestrian protections, and pursue solutions that prevent another family from experiencing this kind of devastating loss. “My heart is with these families and our entire community as we grieve.” ...read more read less