13-year-old hit by police car will be taken off life support, mother says

SHIRLEY, N.Y. (AP) - A 13-year-old boy will be taken off life support days after he was struck by a police car while riding his bike in Long Island, his mother said.

Anthony Stinson, who suffered severe head injuries when he was hit Saturday by a Suffolk County police cruiser in Shirley, was declared brain dead Monday, his mother, Claudia Stinson, told Newsday.

Suffolk police said in a news release that the officer was responding to a distress call, had her lights and siren activated and tried to swerve to avoid hitting the teen. She struck Anthony shortly before 8 p.m. and also hit a car stopped in traffic, a tree and two parked cars, police said.

The teen was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital, where he was placed on life support to preserve his organs for donation, his mother said.

The officer, whose name hasn’t been released, was treated for minor injuries. Suffolk police said there was no update Tuesday regarding the crash’s investigation.

A GoFundMe was set up to help the family with expenses.