Rahmere Tullis was struck and killed by a suspect's vehicle while standing with his mother on the corner of 15th Avenue and South 7th Street on Friday.
The scene of the strike. (Vernal Coleman | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) NEWARK -- A prayer vigil is planned for Sunday afternoon on the street where a 3-year-old was struck and killed by a suspect's vehicle during a police chase last week.
Rahmere Tullis was standing with his mother on Friday morning near the intersection of 15th Avenue and South 7th Street when a car driven by Troy Ruff, 22, of Newark, jumped the curb and hit the child, officials said. Police were chasing Ruff at the time of the crash.
Thomas Ellis, a minister and founder of the anti-violence group Enough is Enough, said a prayer vigil and memorial will be held at the site of the deadly crash at 4 p.m. on Sunday. Community members and relatives of the toddler are expected to attend, said Ellis, who is calling for police chases in the city to stop because innocent people are losing their lives and "it does not help the community."
Rahmere's father, Cordell Tullis, told PIX11 that police "should have never been chasing that man like that."
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Newark Police Director Eugene Venable said that the department is cooperating with the investigation into the chase by the prosecutor's office. "The tragic and unnecessary death of 3-year-old Rahmere Tullis...weighs heavy on the hearts of every law enforcement agency," he said in a statement.
Ruff, who was wanted on aggravated assault and other weapon-related charges, now faces charges of aggravated manslaughter, vehicular homicide and eluding police, according to the Essex County Prosecutor's office.
Erin O'Neill may be reached at eoneill@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LedgerErin. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
