SANTA CLARA, California. – The family of a Santa Clara University student killed while crossing the street near the school is asking city leaders to make safety improvements in the area.

Kephas Pope was killed on El Camino Real in Santa Clara last Thursday, just steps from his home and school.

“He would cross three times a day each way,” said his father, Nathan Pope, as he pointed to the location where his son crosses the street each day.

Pope struggled to understand how his son was killed in front of their apartment building.

The 18-year-old was crossing the street to attend classes at Santa Clara University, where he was a sophomore.

“My whole body is kind of numb,” Pope said. “It’s very hard to say how I feel right now.”

Around noon last Thursday, Pope said Kephas was riding his bicycle on busy El Camino Real and stopped in the middle to wait for oncoming traffic to cross.

Dad said a driver in a dark colored BMW was probably speeding when he plowed into a tree in the median. The impact sent the tree flying and the tree hit Kephas in the head.

He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Pope said his son trained for a triathlon while earning straight A’s in biochemistry.

His goal was to become a surgeon.

“He was planning for the future. That’s why it’s so tragic. He was so forward-looking,” Pope said.

The father shared with KTVU text messages he exchanged with his son shortly before he was killed.

The text messages were about a father and son who got tickets to see the movie “Gladiator 2.”

Plans for the weekend and the future will never come true.

“I yelled, I screamed, I cried. Now, I’m mostly just alone. I miss him,” Pope said.

Police said it does not appear that drugs or alcohol were factors in this incident.

Investigators said the driver remained at the scene and cooperated.

Police said the incident is still under investigation.

The pope said Santa Clara University officials plan to hold a vigil for the pope on campus outside the Mission Church on Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m.

Amber Lee is a reporter at KTVU. Email Amber at [email protected] or text 510-599-3922. Follow her on Facebook @AmberKTVU, Instagram @AmberKTVU or Twitter @AmberKTVU