A student of Sacramento's West Campus High School is being mourned by family members and classmates today after she was fatally struck by a car on Fruitridge Road a few blocks from the campus.
Michelle Murigi died Friday night, a day after she was hit crossing Fruitridge Road at 58th Street, according to the Sacramento County Coroner's Office. She was crossing Fruitridge at 58th Street shortly after 5 p.m. on Thursday and was hit in an eastbound lane.
"The entire Sacramento City family is shocked and saddened by the loss," said Gabe Ross, spokesman for the Sacramento City Unified School District. "We are doing everything we can for the family and friends at this time."
Ross said a crisis team was at the school on Friday to help staff and students cope. He said the team will return to the campus on Monday.
Dozens of friends have posted condolences on Murigi's Facebook page in recent days, including a woman describing herself as a family member in Kenya.
Police spokesman Sgt. Andrew Pettit said an eastbound car in the far left lane had stopped to allow Murigi to cross the street. But a motorist to the right who apparently did not see the girl continued driving through the crosswalk. Pettit said the case is under investigation.
West Campus is a magnet high school with a waiting list. Enrollment is estimated to be between 850 and 900 students, Ross said. The campus is one of the district's highest achieving schools.
Murigi would have been 17 years old on Wednesday.
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