A 6-year-old boy was hit and killed crossing a street in Southeast D.C. Wednesday night, on his birthday.

Xavier Luckey was hit by a car on the 4300 block of Livingston Road SE about 8:30 p.m.

"I heard a boom and I heard a holler," said Shannon Smith, who witnessed the crash.



Xavier was rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The driver drove to another location, where he called 911, police said. Several witnesses stayed at the scene, D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham said.



Luckey's family had been celebrating his sixth birthday with a cookout, family members said.

"There were other kids who crossed before him, so he thought that maybe he could make it," Smith said.

"He was such a good boy. He was so full of life. He was always excited, full of joy. He was a happy little boy. It was just such a tragedy that it happened on his birthday," Xavier's cousin Shanita Simms said.

Xavier was a kindergarten student at Hendley Elementary School in Southeast. On Thursday, the school sent letters home to parents informing them that grief counselors would be available for any students who need help dealing with the loss.

"I told them they can come to me, you know, if they have any questions or they just want to grieve, cry - anything," parent Nina Izlar said.



Additional information on the circumstances of the Xavier's death was not available immediately.

The driver cooperated with police and officers questioned him after the crash, police said.

Police say the section of road where Luckey crossed moves in two directions. There's no crosswalk.