A nurse, a former football star and a father of two are among those killed in a truck attack in New Orleans
An 18-year-old aspiring New Orleans nurse, father of two and former Princeton football star was killed when the driver of a white pickup truck sped down Bourbon Street early Wednesday morning. .
Although officials have not yet released the names of the 15 people who died in the New Year’s Day truck attack, their families and friends have begun to share their stories.
New Orleans coroner Dr. Dwight McKenna said in a statement Tuesday that the names of the dead will be released after autopsies are completed and next of kin are spoken to. About 30 people were injured as a result of the attack. Here are the names of some of the victims:
Nikyra Cheyenne Dedeaux
Sion Parsons of Gulfport was celebrating New Year’s Eve on Bourbon Street in the city’s French Quarter when a pickup truck appeared and ran over her friend, Nikyra Cheyenne Dedeaux, 18, who she said aspires to be a nurse.
“The truck hits the corner and goes through the barrel, throwing people out like in a movie scene, throwing people up in the air,” Parsons, 18, told The Associated Press. “It hit him and he jumped at least 30 feet and I was lucky to be alive.”
During the shootout, the driver drove around the police blockade and crashed into the revelers before being shot by the police. Parsons described the horrific aftermath of bleeding and maimed victims, hearing gunshots and explosive sounds.
“Bodies, bodies up and down the street, everybody screaming and yelling,” Parsons said. “People crying on the ground, like brain matter on the ground. It was just crazy, like the closest thing to a war zone I’ve ever seen.”
Parsons said Dedeaux was a responsible girl and helped take care of her siblings. Dedeaux also worked at a hospital and was ready to start college and work toward her goal of becoming a registered nurse.
“He had a mindset — he didn’t have it all figured out, but he had a plan,” Parsons said.
Reggie Hunter
Reggie Hunter, a 37-year-old father of two from Baton Rouge, La., was among those killed early Wednesday morning on Bourbon Street in what authorities are investigating as an act of terrorism.
Hunter had just gotten off work and was on her way to celebrate New Year’s with her cousin when the attack happened, her first cousin, Shirel Jackson, told Nola.com.
Hunter was killed and his cousin was wounded, Jackson said.
Tiger peanut
A former high school and college football player from Louisiana was another victim who died after the truck driver sped into the crowd, an education official said.
Tiger Bech, 27, of St. John’s in Lafayette, Lafayette. Thomas More Catholic High School athletic director Kim Broussard died Wednesday morning in a New Orleans hospital, according to local media. A wide receiver, quarterback, punt returner and linebacker, according to Nola.com.
Bech’s LinkedIn profile said he played football at Princeton University before graduating in 2021. Most recently, he worked as an investment trader at a New York brokerage firm.
Princeton football coach Bob Surace said Wednesday that Bech texted his father, sharing memories of the school’s punt returner and receiver from 2017 to 2019.
“He might be the first Tiger to play for us, and that nickname defined him as a competitor,” Surace told ESPN. The school’s nickname is the Tigers. “He was someone who was just perfect and full of energy, full of life, like in key moments,” Surace said.
Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the 42-year-old Texas man suspected of driving a truck into New Orleans revelers that killed at least 15 people and injured dozens more, was a US Army veteran who later became involved in real estate. according to officials and public records. The FBI believes Jabbar, who was killed in a shootout with police after a car attack, was “not solely responsible” and is looking for accomplices.
Bech worked for Seaport Global, a company spokeswoman could not confirm Lisa Lieberman’s death. But he told The Associated Press that he was “very well regarded by everyone who knew him.”
Bech’s younger brother, Jack, is a top receiver at Texas Christian University.
In response to a KLFY-TV report on X about Tiger Bech’s death, a post from an account for Jack Bech on the social media site said: “Love you always bro! You inspire me everyday, you are with me now. Every moment is I got your family, don’t worry.
Nicole Perez
The other victim moved to a new apartment in La. The four-year-old’s mother has been identified as Nicole Perez, 28, of Metairie. He was also recently promoted at work to manager of a deli in Metairie.
Perez was out with his friends on New Year’s Eve when he was hit by a truck driven by 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a US citizen from Texas. Investigators are still looking for what led to the U.S. Army veteran hoisting an ISIS flag from his truck into the crowd.
“She was a really good mom,” said Perez’s boss, Kimberly Usher, who set up a GoFundMe account to help cover funeral expenses and help her son “need to move to a new living situation,” asking for donations.
Hubert Gautreaux
Hubert Gautreaux, 21, of Archbishop Shaw High School, Marrero, La., his former high school, was identified as among those killed on Bourbon Street.
“It is with great sadness that we share that Hubert Gautreaux, a student in the class of 2021, was tragically killed early this morning in an act of senseless violence in the French Quarter,” the school said on Facebook.
“We ask the entire Archbishop Shaw family to pray for the repose of the soul of Hubert, his family and friends and those affected by this tragedy during this difficult time.”
Meanwhile, the FBI said it removed a stark black Islamic State flag from the truck used in the attack. The investigation is expected to look into whether Jabbar received support or inspiration from the Middle East-based violent group or any of its at least 19 branches around the world.
US President Joe Biden says the FBI told him “hours before the attack, (Jabbar) posted videos on social media suggesting he was inspired by the Islamic State group.”
The FBI said it is investigating the attack as an act of terrorism and does not believe the driver acted alone.
Investigators found a handgun and what appeared to be an improvised explosive device in the car, along with other devices in the French Quarter.
The Sugar Bowl has been rescheduled
The Sugar Bowl was the college football playoff quarterfinals It has been rescheduled from Wednesdayy night into Thursday night at 3:00 p.m. local time due to the attack that took place a kilometer away from the stadium at the Caesars Superdome.
Sugar Bowl CEO Jeff Hundley says all parties agree that canceling the game is in the best interest of public safety. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry said he would attend and was confident the stadium and surrounding area would be safe.
“Our main focus is to make the city safe,” New Orleans city councilman Jean-Paul Morrell told CBC News on Thursday.
He said fans should expect to spend more time clearing checkpoints at the stadium “as we try to keep everyone safe after this incident.”
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