"Unspeakably sad": St. Catherine University librarian killed in Lake Nokomis hit-and-run
MINNEAPOLIS -- A family member has confirmed to WCCO the victim of the fatal hit-and-run near Minneapolis' Lake Nokomis was David Phillip Norris.
Norris was a librarian at St. Catherine University in St. Paul for four years after graduating from the school in 2017.
The accident happened shortly after 7 a.m. Thursday at Cedar Avenue South and East Lake Nokomis Parkway.
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The area around Lake Nokomis is a destination for many who like to walk and run, and many who use this area know how dangerous it can be.
"He lives not too far from Nokomis and I know it was a special place for him," said Matt Bribitzer-Stull, a friend of Norris. "That intersection, I know, is a dangerous one. All I can imagine is that he didn't see the car coming or the car didn't see him, or both."
Police are still searching for the driver responsible for Norris' death and have not said if they have a lead on who the driver may be.
"Whoever did this is obviously living with the knowledge that they killed another human being and I think that's their struggle that they're going to have to manage for the rest of their life, but those of us who loved him would like to know how it happened," said Bribitzer-Stull.
Bribitzer-Stull says he was one of the lucky ones who got to call Norris not just a friend, but a part of his family.
Over the last decade, Bribitzer-Stull says he watched Norris overcome personal struggles and find his purpose in life.
"The life that he had ahead of himself and the healthy David he was meant to be was just...To see it cut short like this is unspeakably sad," said Bribitzer-Stull.
Becky Roloff, President of St. Catherine University, said in a statement that Norris was very caring and inquisitive.
"His commitment to confronting bias and his leadership in promoting inclusivity and diversity was deeply admired by the library community," Roloff said.
