4-year-old killed by hit-and-run in Hyde Park

A 4-year-old boy died Tuesday night in Boston after being struck by a vehicle that then left the area, according to Boston police.

Police say that preliminary investigation suggests a motor vehicle hit the boy in the Hyde Park neighborhood and fled the area without stopping around 9:30 p.m. The victim's name has not yet been released.

An off-duty firefighter was the first on the scene to provide aid to the child after he was struck. Emergency medical services transported him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.

Mayor Michelle Wu called the death a “horrible tragedy.”

“It’s absolutely devastating to think about what transpired in just a split-second,” she said at a news conference at the scene late Tuesday.

Police are looking for surveillance video from the area and seeking witnesses.

“If anyone saw or heard, or knows anything with regards to what happened here tonight, please let us know,” Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden said at the scene. “We beg of you. We need your help.”

No suspect has been named or charged in the incident, and authorities are urging anyone to contact the police or CrimeStoppers Tip Line.

With reporting by WBUR's Newscast Unit and The Associated Press