CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Businesses are coming together to try to help identify the person who hit and killed an eight-year-old boy in Chesapeake Oct. 3.
News
8-year-old dies after hit & run on Battlefield Blvd.: Chesapeake police
Chesapeake Public Schools identified the boy as Forrest Hooper and provided the following statement Wednesday:
"Good afternoon, this is an important message from Tracy Cioppa, principal of Southeastern Elementary School.
It is with a heavy heart that I report to you that one of our third-grade students, Forrest Hooper has passed away. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time. I also offer condolences to all the Southeastern Elementary School students and staff members, especially Forrest’s classmates, teachers, and support staff.In addition to our school’s guidance counselors, grief counselors, and crisis counselors will be at our school for the next few days for staff and students who may need assistance throughout the day. It is our hope that our counselors can help our school community deal with this tragic loss. Please remember that your Southeastern Elementary Family is here for you, to support you however we can.
Thank you for supporting Southeastern Elementary, our faculty, and our staff."
In the 1700 block of S. Battlefield Blvd. Wednesday, there were no signs of the tragedy that occurred there Tuesday but Hickory Towing Owner Matthew Cilento recalled the scene.
“There was at least 30-40 officers here working the case," Cilento said from the edge of the driveway into his business.
He estimated the boy was in front of a home two driveways away from his business.
Cilento had provided surveillance video from his business to investigators, but declined to provide it to News 3 Wednesday, saying he didn’t want to interfere with the investigation.
"It hits home to everybody. It’s tugging on everybody’s heartstrings."
He made a Facebook post offering $5,000 for information about who hit the boy. Word spread and other businesses offered money, bringing the total to $50,000 by mid-Wednesday afternoon.
He also set up a Venmo account for people to donate to to help the family.
“We all live in a better place when people do the right thing," said Arliss Orem, who works at Travis Specialized Transport in Virginia Beach.
The business is one of the other businesses that had offered reward money.
“This family deserves closure," said Rachel Cox, who also works at Travis Specialized Transport and saw Cilento's Facebook post Tuesday. "We’re parents. We have two boys and I can’t imagine what this family is going through."
Orem is also a former Virginia Beach medic. He said cases like this are tough on first responders.
“It’s crippling. Post traumatic stress is a real thing. First responders have a hard time talking about it, we internalize it, but it’s something that’s everlasting," said Orem.
Cox says seeing people come together makes her proud to be from Virginia Beach.
"When the (mass) shooting happened in Virginia Beach, we all banded together. When September 11 happened, the United States Banded together. It's time, agan, for our community to band together," said Cox.
Orem, Cox, and Cilento all had one message for the driver who hit the boy.
“Just come forward. This is not going away," Cilento said.
A celebration of life for the boy with food, drinks, and music was scheduled for 12-5 p.m. Oct. 8 at the lot directly across from Hickory Towing. The towing business is located at 1740 S. Battlefield Blvd.
