A 28-year-old nurse was killed in a hit-and-run in Brooklyn over the weekend after leaving a night shift at NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn.
Surveillance video shows Jaiyi Zheng moments before the incident.
Police said Zheng was struck shortly before 7:40 a.m. Saturday as a Cadillac traveled southbound on Third Avenue near 55th Street in Sunset Park.
Zheng was taken to NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn, about a block from the crash site, where she was pronounced dead.
Her colleagues at the hospital remembered Zheng as a dedicated nurse who was always willing to help.
“I just feel awful for her family, and I can’t say enough good things about her,” said Foram Raval, a registered nurse at NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn. “And I can’t believe she’s gone. She was taken so young.”
Raval said her friend and fellow nurse was known for her positive nature.
“Whenever I got a shift with her,” Raval said, “I’d always be excited. She was always smiles, even in the worst situation. She would help you out no matter what, no matter what she was doing.”
Zheng worked as a float nurse, filling in wherever she was needed when hospital units were short-staffed.
The crash has also renewed concerns about pedestrian safety along Third Avenue.
In a statement, State Senator Andrew Gounardes called on the city Department of Transportation to work with the community to make the roadway safer.
“While the investigation proceeds, I am once again calling on @NYC_DOT to work with the community to make 3rd Ave safer. Just over a year ago we lost two elderly neighbors to a similar crash, and 3rd Ave remains one of the most dangerous corridors in Brooklyn. Enough is enough,” he posted on social media.
Raval said nurses were already cautious when crossing the roadway, but the crash has made her even more vigilant.
“I’m way more cautious,” Raval said. “I mean, it’s always been dangerous, but like now, I look twice, three times, even if you know there’s a red light, even if I have the right of way. You know, it could have happened to anyone, like it almost happened to me once.”
Fellow nurse Brant McAdams said the area beneath the nearby bridge can be particularly dangerous for pedestrians.
“It’s really sad to hear what happened,” McAdams said. “I’m speechless to be honest. I mean, under the bridge, it’s just very unsafe. The cars are flying by. There’s not even enough time for people to walk across the whole time.”
No arrests have been made. The investigation is ongoing.