A motorist plowed into a group of elementary school students in the city of Misato, Saitama Prefecture, on Wednesday afternoon, injuring four boys — one of them seriously — before driving off from the scene.
Authorities said a group of around 10 children had been walking home from school at around 4 p.m. when the car veered into them from behind. Of the four 11-year-old boys who were injured, one is believed to have suffered a fractured leg and is in serious condition, while the others sustained minor injuries, according to broadcaster FNN.
According to the authorities, the incident took place on a straight road with good visibility, and there was no sidewalk, so the children were walking on the shoulder of the road.
Video footage from the moments after the collision shows children gathered near a stationary vehicle. A man in dark clothing can be seen gesturing in a way that appeared to be an apology, right next to the car.
“The driver got out and said ‘Are you OK?’ but had this smirking, careless attitude,” said one witness. “The kids were repeating, ‘He ran away, he ran away!’ They’d even memorized the car’s license plate.”
The vehicle involved in the incident is believed to have been carrying two men, who are believed to have initially exited the car and spoken to the children before fleeing in the same car. Authorities are working to track it down and are treating the case as a hit-and-run.
Information from Jiji added
