An 11-year-old 6th grade boy at Parkland Middle School in El Paso, Texas, was hit and killed by a pick-up truck while crossing a major highway during the National School Walkout on Friday. According to police, the student had initially participated in the walkout but then left the campus with a group of 12 to 15 students who scaled a wall to escape the school and then crossed a major highway and then crossed back. The 6th grader was killed bringing up the rear on the second crossing. No one else was hit.

Loop 375, screen image from road closure after student hit by vehicle on Friday.”

The El Paso Police Department issued a statement Saturday regarding the incident:

Police Investigate Pedestrian Fatality

Date & Time: Friday, April 20, 2018 @ 10:27 a.m.

Location: Loop 375 @ Bomarc Off Ramp

Pedestrian: 11 – year old Johnathan Benko of El Paso (DECEASED)

Vehicle 1: 2010 Ford F150 truck, blue in color

Driver 1: 61 – year old Jesus Diaz of El Paso, TX

El Paso, TX. – The El Paso Police Department’s Special Traffic Investigations (STI) unit were called to assist

Northeast Patrol with a serious collision that involved a vehicle and a pedestrian. The preliminary investigation

revealed that the pedestrian, Johnathan Benko, a student at Parkland Middle School, was taking part in a school

organized “walk out”. During the walk out, Johnathan Benko and several other students left the designated walk

out area. According to witnesses, the group of children crossed Loop 375 West from South to North without

incident, and then several minutes later, attempted to again cross Loop 375 West from North to South. Johnathan

Benko was the last in his group to attempt to cross Loop 375 West when he was struck by a 2010 Ford F150,

which was traveling West and being operated by Jesus Diaz. As a result of the collision, Johnathan Benko

sustained serious bodily injury and was transported to University Medical Center (UMC) where he died. The

driver of the truck, Jesus Diaz was not injured and remained at the scene. There were no other children injured

in this collision.

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KVIA-TV reported on the reaction at the school: