Sydney lawyer identified as man found dead on suburban street
Police are now imploring the public to come forward with any information over Mitch East's death in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The man who was killed after he was hit by a car stepping out of an Uber in a suspected hit-and-run has been identified as Sydney lawyer Mitch East.
The 28-year-old was struck on Fletcher Street in Tamarama, in the city's Eastern Suburbs, shortly after 4am on Sunday, with investigators believing he had only just stepped out of the ride share car when he was run down, The Daily Telegraph reported. The driver of the car that struck East did not stop.
Police are now on a desperate hunt to locate a white SUV that was captured on CCTV in the Fletcher St area around the time that he was found unconscious on the road by locals. East was originally from New Zealand, having relocated to Australia to pursue his career in law, where he was employed by firm Arnold Bloch Leibler.
Law firm speaks after employee killed
A spokeswoman for Arnold Bloch Leibler said on Monday staff were informed of the 28-year-old's sudden death.
"In an email sent to all staff this morning, Arnold Bloch Leibler's managing partner Henry Lanzer and managing Sydney partner Paul Rubenstein paid tribute to Mitch, describing him as a highly talented lawyer and popular and valued member of the firm, whose loss will be deeply felt," the spokeswoman said.
"The partners expressed heartfelt condolences to Mitch's parents, his partner and many close friends, both within and outside of [the firm]."
East graduated from Harvard Law School in 2022 after studying and beginning his legal career in New Zealand, according to LinkedIn.
Police looking at 'all avenues'
The 28-year-old's family are believed to be in Sydney and were notified of his death at Bondi Police Station on Sunday.
Detective Assistant Superintendent Adam Solah revealed that they family were "distraught" by the tragic news. "The family are obviously very upset and distraught, and our hearts go out to them, having to find out such difficult news," he told media.
Police say that while they're "looking at all avenues", the theory that East was killed during a hit-and-run "will form part of their investigation".
"We encourage anyone who has dashcam footage or CCTV that hasn’t been yet provided to police, we urge you to come forward and provide that footage," Solah said.
Mitch East had extensive career in law at young age
According to East's LinkedIn profile, he had an extensive career in law, previously working as a Judge's clerk in New Zealand's Supreme Court and as a senior advisor of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Christchurch terrorist attack.
Tamarama locals earlier told media they heard a loud bang or thud followed by a car alarm around the same time the incident was reported.
Police noted that there had been heavy rain in the area overnight.
Anyone with information relating to the incident is urged to contact Bondi police or Crime Stoppers. East was wearing a blue button-up shirt and tan shorts at the time he was killed.
with AAP
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