6-Year-Old Pedestrian Killed in Collision Loved Batman, Spending Time With Family

A 6-year-old boy died after getting struck by a pickup truck while walking with his two babysitters in an intersection on October 9, according to a Phoenix Police spokesperson.

The two other pedestrians who were struck, a 21-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman, were severely injured in the collision, police said. The man is in critical condition.

The adults were babysitting 6-year-old Rayden Ginsburg when they began to cross 75th Avenue at Thomas Road in the crosswalk at about 7:45 p.m. and were hit by a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado driving southbound on 75th Avenue. The pickup's 23-year-old driver has not yet been identified. Police said he hit the three pedestrians as the traffic light cycled to red.

He stayed at the scene and is currently under investigation, according to police.

The deceased boy had the "best smile you could possibly imagine," said his grandfather, Lane Ginsburg, in an interview with Phoenix New Times. "He could light up a room with a smile. When he loves you, he loves you with everything he has."

Rayden Ginsburg would have turned 7 next month. He had just started first grade and loved SpaghettiOs, Batman, and spending time with family, his grandfather said.

"He was just a happy kid," he said.

Rayden's family set up a GoFundMe page to help cover the funeral costs, medical bills, and time off work.

Phoenix is one of the deadliest cities in the nation for pedestrians. Last year, 113 pedestrians were killed in the city, a 16 percent increase from the year before.

So far in 2019, Phoenix has seen a decrease in pedestrian fatalities. The first six months of the year show a reduction to 37 fatalities from 49 during the same period in 2018.