A tight-knit Brooklyn neighborhood is reeling after 11‑year‑old Amira Aminova was struck and killed by a school bus Thursday afternoon, police confirmed. The crash happened just after 3 p.m. at the busy intersection of 23rd Avenue and Bath Avenue in the Bath Beach section of Brooklyn, shortly after school dismissal time.
Witnesses and surveillance footage show Amira stepping off the curb in a marked crosswalk with the right of way as a school bus made a right turn. She darted into the street and was hit by the bus. Neighbors described seeing her run across the road and then being struck by the large vehicle.
Emergency responders arrived quickly and rushed Amira to Maimonides Medical Center, but her injuries were too severe and she was later pronounced dead at the hospital. Family, friends, and neighbors are struggling to process the sudden loss of a lively young girl from their community.
The bus driver, 62‑year‑old Wawa Aurelus of East Flatbush, did not remain at the scene after the collision, police say. Officers located him several miles away in Brooklyn hours later. He has since been arrested and charged with failure to yield to a pedestrian and failure to exercise due care under New York law.
Surveillance video of the moments leading up to the crash is now part of the ongoing investigation. Authorities are reviewing the footage to better understand exactly how Amira came into the bus’s path, and whether visibility issues or other factors played a role.
There were no immediate signs of other vehicles being involved, and officials have not released additional details about the circumstances beyond confirming the time, location, and the charges filed. Police say the case remains under active investigation as they piece together all available evidence.
In a corner deli near the crash site, people who knew Amira said she had just stopped in to buy chocolate and soda moments before the tragedy. “She was quiet, a regular,” one worker recalled, his voice thick with emotion. For this tight community, the loss of a child on a clear afternoon has left many shaken and calling for safer streets near schools and homes.
Efforts to improve safety at busy intersections like this one have been a topic of discussion among local residents and advocates for years. Now, in the wake of Amira’s death, calls for change feel more urgent than ever. Authorities say they will continue to work through every piece of evidence as the investigation progresses.
