Classmates of 7-year-old Amir Prewitt, killed in hit-and-run, prepare to start school without him

CLEVELAND (WJW) — A heartfelt plea to the public was released Thursday to help find the person who killed a 7-year-old, while students and staff at his school prepare to start classes without him.

Amir Prewitt should be entering the second grade at St. Thomas Aquinas School in Cleveland, but tragically, he was killed by a hit-and-run driver on Friday, Aug. 16.

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“The pictures that we have of him are so precious now,” said Rachael Dengler, principal at St. Thomas Aquinas. “His smile is one you could feel, you could feel it in your soul, you could feel it in your body, because he smiled with his whole body.”

Prewitt was well-known and liked at the school for his kind heart and loving demeanor by all students from kindergarten up through the eighth grade.

On Instagram, they posted, “When our joy is so big it radiates through us, when we catch ourselves being silly without inhibition, when we smile so hard it hurts, it’ll be because Amir showed us how. We’ll miss you so much but will never forget you.”

“It will be very difficult, especially with our younger students,“ said Dengler.

They’ve all been in “shock” since learning of Prewitt’s passing, she said.

Immediately upon learning about his death, she said they gathered together to talk, cry and pray.

“It was obviously very jarring to learn about something you could not imagine ever happening,” she said.

Grief counselors will be on-hand when students return to school on Monday.

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Also on Thursday, councilman Mike Polensek, Ward 8, issued an impassioned plea to catch the driver.

“It’s outrageous!” he said. “People know who did it and people have to stand up. Far too often people don’t want to say anything — this code of silence, no-snitch crap. I’m sick of it.”

A black Mercedes SUV struck and dragged Prewitt in the parking lot at the Lakeshore Beach Apartments, 16024 Lakeshore Blvd., during daylight hours.

Prewitt was there with his family at the time, visiting family and skateboarding in the parking lot.

The vehicle was recovered and pictures of a person of interest were released by Cleveland police to the public, but still there have been no arrests.

“I’ve talked to his mother every day. She is just distraught. Can you blame her? She wants closure. She wants justice,” said Polensek, “It’s Amir on Friday, it could be your child tomorrow or your grandchild. Is that how people want to live?”

Polensek said if people are afraid to contact officers, they can call him directly.

“I’m not gonna rest until the person who did that is caught and brought to justice,” he said.

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Anyone with information is asked to call Cleveland police at 216-623-5295 or 216-621-1234.

Those who are unwilling to speak with officers and want to remain anonymous can contact Polensek by calling 216-664-4236.

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