The victim of last night’s tragic accident in Penticton was just beginning grade one at Holy Cross Elementary school.

James Christian McIntosh, 5, died from injuries suffered when he was struck by a vehicle driven by an off-duty RCMP officer at the intersection of Fairview Road and Highway 97 Tuesday evening.

School principal Shawn Campbell released a brief statement Wednesday which read in part:

“It is with profound sadness that we learned of the accident involving, and subsequent passing of James Christian McIntosh yesterday evening.

James was a beautiful and innocent young child attending our school for his second year, just beginning grade one.

He proved to be an absolute dynamo whose energy was boundless, and as a student, had an intense focus for any task at hand.

His death is a tragic loss for his family and for our school community.