A 7-year-old boy died after being struck by a school bus moments after exiting his vehicle in Gloucester County, New Jersey.

According to a  news release from the Greenwich Township Police Department, officers responded around 3:40 p.m. May 8 to reports of a “pedestrian motor vehicle crash involving a juvenile and a school bus.”

When officers arrived at the scene, they joined nearby residents in administering emergency medical aid to the child before Gloucester County Emergency Medical Services took over treatment efforts. The boy was transported to Cooper University Hospital, where he later died from his injuries, police said.

Authorities later identified the child as Hunter Smith of Gibbstown. Investigators said they believe the crash happened shortly after the boy exited the school bus. The incident stunned residents in the neighborhood, as emergency lights filled the streets while first responders worked to save the child.

“I heard the police and ambulance and all that stuff,” one neighbor told local news reporters. “I thought it was down the street. Then I come and look out here and, next thing you know, the whole neighborhood’s crawling with red lights and blue lights.”

The neighbor said he frequently saw the boy walking to and from the bus stop. “I see the kid walking up, down the street every day, either going to school or coming from school or to the bus stop,” he said. “It’s tragic, it’s devastating for the family. May God rest his soul.”

Investigation Underway As Video Shows Horrific Aftermath of Incident

Video captured by a Ring doorbell camera and obtained by a local news outlet showed a frantic aftermath moments after the collision. In the footage, a woman can be seen rushing to a nearby home and pleading for help while the school bus remained stopped in the roadway. Several residents gathered around the Smith in an attempt to assist before emergency crews arrived.

The bus involved in the incident was operated by Holcomb Transportation. A spokesperson for the company confirmed to local reporters that the bus driver is a 48-year-old woman who has worked for Holcomb Transportation since 2024 and had no prior issues.

In a statement via local news, Holcomb Transportation said it is “heartbroken” and “deeply concerned” over the tragedy.

“We are fully cooperating with all relevant authorities as they work to determine the circumstances surrounding this incident,” Frank Patrinicola, the company’s director of safety and risk, said in part. “In addition to the official investigation, we have launched our own internal review to understand exactly what happened and to ensure that every appropriate measure is taken moving forward.”

Officials have not released additional details about how the crash occurred or whether any charges are being considered. The incident remains under investigation. In the wake of the tragedy, community organizations and local officials began offering support to grieving residents and students.

A representative from Clonmell United Methodist Church announced it would open Saturday for residents impacted by the incident, according to the police department’s release. The Greenwich Township School District in New Jersey also said counseling services would be available for students.

According to data compiled by School Transportation News, at least eight student fatalities tied to school transportation incidents have occurred during the current 2025–2026 school year, including six pedestrian deaths in which students were struck by school buses. STN research also identified that at least 18 students died in school transportation-related incidents during the 2024–2025 school year. Of those cases, at least eight involved students who were struck and killed by a school bus.

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Officers with the Washington Township Police Department helped free a school bus stuck in deep snow during a powerful winter storm hitting the East Coast.

It has been a season of severe winter storms in New Jersey and much of the Northeast as well as Southeast and Midwest. Even before last week’s Nor’Easter storm, New Jersey student transportation was impacted.

The Washington Township Police received a call Jan. 28 just before 9 a.m. that a school bus with children on board was stranded on a road covered with snow and ice. Officers responded quickly, working as a team to clear snow from around the tires and shovel behind the school bus to give it traction. Once freed, the bus driver safely continued the route.

“This is what Community Caretaking looks like,” the department wrote in a social media post highlighting the rescue.

Then came last week’s Nor’Easter, which closed school for several days across New Jersey and at least eight other states in the Northeast and New England.

New Jersey Office of Emergency Management operating under the Division of the New Jersey State Police issued a mandatory statewide travel restriction due to heavy snowfall, blizzard-like conditions, and strong winds that made travel hazardous. The restriction, which began at 9 p.m. on Feb. 22, was extended through noon the following day, to give road crews time to clear snow-covered roadways and ensure public safety.

Under the official travel ban, all non-exempt vehicles were prohibited from operating on state, county, municipal and interstate roads. Exemptions included emergency responders, public works and snow removal crews, transportation personnel, healthcare workers, utility crews, and others supporting essential services.

Officials urged residents to avoid non-essential travel until conditions improved, noting that slick, snow-packed roads and limited visibility could persist even after the restriction was lifted.

The storm dropped significant snow across parts of New Jersey and left many roadways treacherous, prompting ongoing cleanup efforts by municipal crews and state agencies.

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