Fleet Week tragedy: Marine killed crossing street

Web produced by Bill King, Eyewitness NewsNEW YORK (WABC) -- Fleet Week took a tragic turn early Thursday, as a Marine was struck by a car and killed while trying to cross a street on the West Side.

The 22-year-old Marine had just come into town on one of the boats arriving for the festivities Wednesday.

He was crossing 12th Avenue at 49th Street around 1 a.m. when he was hit. He was one of several people who had just gotten out of a cab and were attempting to cross the Westside Highway from the center median. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police are looking into whether the driver of the silver Acura that hit him fled the scene or was just turning around to come back, because the driver did return shortly after the incident. It is believed that driver is the one who called 911.

The driver is in custody, but at this point does not face any charges.

(Copyright ©2011 WABC-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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24th annual Fleet Week kicks off in New York City

  Eyewitness NewsNEW YORK (WABC) -- Wednesday marks the start of the 24th annual Fleet Week in New York City.

This year's celebration has added significance as troops return to the city that Osama bin Laden targeted 10 years ago.

The action kicked off this morning with the annual Parade of Ships.

Navy and Coast Guard vessels passed under the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and fired off a gun salute near Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn.

The ships then passed Lower Manhattan, traveling up the Hudson River to the George Washington Bridge and then back down to their ports.

Of course, a major highlight of this year's fleet week is the return of the U.S.S. New York. It will be the ship's first trip back to the city since it was commissioned in 2009.

The New York is forged from 7.5 tons of recovered steel from the Twin Towers. And bin Laden's death, its presence here bears a special significance.

CLICK HERE for a full list of Fleet Week events!

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