A family in Venice is pleading for answers after 25-year-old Neo Moroke, a recent Cal State Northridge graduate, was killed in a hit-and-run collision just days before his birthday.
The Los Angeles Police Department said officers responded around 2 a.m. on Sept. 20 to the intersection of Washington Boulevard and Lincoln Boulevard, where Moroke had been struck by a vehicle while crossing the street eastbound on Washington. The driver sped away, leaving Moroke critically injured. He was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to LAPD Media Relations.
The Los Angeles Fire Department confirmed that crews were dispatched to the scene around 2:30 a.m. and transported the victim to the hospital, said spokesperson Brian Humphrey. Police said they have no description of the suspect or vehicle, and no arrests have been made.
Moroke’s father, Douglas Moroke, described the devastating moment he learned of his son’s death. “He was my life, my hope, my inspiration,” Douglas said in an interview with KTLA’s Lindsey Peña, recalling the pride he felt watching Neo graduate in May.
Neo had left the house that night to meet friends. “He said, ‘Hey Dad, I’ll see you later,’ and that’s the way we do it every time — we can’t leave without saying bye to each other,” Douglas said.
In the days since the crash, family and friends have built a memorial outside the Moroke home, where Douglas sits each night to talk to his son. “I just hope the person that did it can find themselves to have a moral conscience to come and say something,” he said, urging the driver to come forward. “Do the right thing. This child had a future ahead of him.”
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Neo Moroke, a 25-year-old Cal State Northridge graduate, was killed in a Venice hit-and-run just months after earning his degree.
Neo Moroke, a 25-year-old Cal State Northridge graduate, who was killed in a Venice hit-and-run just months after earning his degree pictured with his family.
In the days since the crash, family and friends have built a memorial outside the Moroke home.
Neo Moroke, a 25-year-old Cal State Northridge graduate, was killed in a Venice hit-and-run just months after earning his degree.
Despite the busy intersection, investigators have not obtained clear video of the suspect’s vehicle. Douglas told KTLA that a witness reported seeing a blue SUV, possibly driven by a woman, leaving the scene, but police have not confirmed that detail.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the LAPD.
Lindsey Peña’s reporting contributed to this article.
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