Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Brooklyn

Candy Truck Driver Kills Three-Year-Old Emur Shavkator in Bath Beach

The truck driver who killed Emur Shavkator was piloting this van. Video still: ABC 7 New York

A 61-year-old man was arrested after striking and killing a 3-year-old boy in a crosswalk in Bath Beach, police said.

Driver Johnny Gonzalez — whose vehicle was emblazoned with advertisements for Skittles and Starburst candies — struck the boy at around 12:45 p.m. while turning right onto Benson Avenue off of Bay 25th Street.

News reports said the boy, Emur Shavkator of Bath Beach, was riding a Razor scooter and accompanied by his mother, who also sustained injuries, at the moment of impact.

The mother, whose name was not released, attempted to pull her son out from under the vehicle, and started screaming when she realized he was unconscious, witnesses told ABC New York.

"The poor woman was in more agony I think than anyone I have ever experienced suffering in my life ever before," said David Mignano.

Shavkator and another person, believed to be the mom, were rushed to Coney Island Hospital, where the boy died.

Police charged Gonzalez with failure to yield to a pedestrian and failure to exercise due care.

The truck is registered in New Jersey, but has still racked up plenty of violations in New York, according to the Howsmydrivingny.nyc database. In all, there are 15 tickets on the truck, dating back to 2013, including two speeding tickets and one red-light ticket.

Since 2013, there have been 452 crashes, causing 139 injures and now five pedestrian or cyclist deaths on just the one-mile stretch of Benson Avenue from 20th to Stillwell avenues.

Mayor de Blasio shared his condolences on Twitter, ending with a pledge that he "won't rest until our streets are safe for every child."

It will be a long period of sleeplessness for the mayor. Overall, road fatalities are up 30 percent so far this year compared to the same period last year, police statistics show.

The mayor, of course, was later trolled on Twitter.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Not So Fast! We Rode NYC Ferry with Would-Be Council Speaker Amanda Farías

Council Member Julie Menin claims she has the votes to be the next Speaker, but Bronx Council Member Amanda Farías has shown a lot more interest in livable streets issues.

November 28, 2025

Book Excerpt Special: Jonathan Lethem’s ‘Program’s Progress’

Class struggle. Infirm secondary superheroes. Suicidal sheep. It’s all in Jonathan Lethem's new collection of short stories, "A Different Kind of Tension." Here's one — featuring class struggle with cars!

November 28, 2025

Special Post-Thanksgiving Friday Video: The Positive Economics of Bike Lanes

Some yahoo in Montreal said that whatever bike lanes cost, they're too expensive! Well, no they're not.

November 28, 2025

Friday’s Headlines: Curbside Slide Edition

Good-bye, streeteries, we hardly knew ye. Plus other news.

November 28, 2025

Thursday’s Headlines: Giving Thanks(ish) Edition

Yes, let's give thanks. But let us also not forget why we're so lucky. Plus other news for your holiday day off.

November 27, 2025

‘Gold Standard’ Open Street Has Two Paths Forward To Become True ‘Paseo Park’

The DOT is contemplating two options for the 1.3 mile-long linear park in Jackson Heights. Which would you choose?

November 26, 2025
See all posts