A British man who was killed when the motive force of a white pickup truck sped down Bourbon Avenue full of vacation revelers was recognized Saturday because the stepson of a former nanny to the Royal Household. Prince William expressed shock and disappointment on the information of the dying of Edward Pettifer of London.
A nursing assistant in her 40s was the final of the 14 victims killed within the New Orleans truck assault to be recognized, in accordance with her household who stated the coroner’s workplace confirmed LaTasha Polk’s dying on Saturday.
The coroner’s workplace stated all of the victims died from blunt power accidents. The suspect within the assault, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, was fatally shot in a firefight with police.
The youngest sufferer was 18 years previous and the oldest 63. Most victims had been of their 20s. They got here from from Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, New Jersey and Nice Britain.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry stated the harmless lives misplaced won’t ever be forgotten, as he declared on Friday a interval of mourning for the victims, which is scheduled to start Jan. 6. A special sufferer is to be remembered every day.
“Nonetheless, Louisiana and her folks won’t ever cower in concern,” he stated. “As an alternative, we are going to unite and are available again stronger in honor of each one that misplaced their lives that day.”
About 30 folks had been injured and 16 remained hospitalized as of Friday.
LaTasha Polk
LaTasha Polk, a nursing assistant and mom of a teenage boy, was the final sufferer within the New Yr’s truck assault to be recognized, in accordance with her household, who gathered at a vigil Saturday night to gentle candles. They stated the coroner’s workplace knowledgeable them Saturday morning. That they had been on the lookout for her and had been grateful for the closure.
“It was the fallacious name we obtained, however no less than we obtained the decision,” stated LaTasha Polk’s cousin, Sebastian Polk. He stated he was all out of tears by the point he arrived on the vigil to honor his cousin, whom he described being as shut as a sister.
The coroner didn’t specify the explanation for the delay, her aunt Kim Polk stated.
“Each time you noticed her she was smiling,” stated her cousin Courtney Polk, urgent her arms collectively in entrance of her face and holding again tears. “It is arduous however we see all of the love for her.”
A few of LaTasha’s family members held one another crying on the curb close to the cross the place they’d positioned candles for her and different victims.
“Tasha, she was a loving particular person, and for her life to be taken away – unimaginable,” Kim Polk stated. “To get up and have that taken from you.”
Edward Pettifer
Thirty-one 12 months previous Edward Pettifer, a British citizen, was recognized Saturday as one of many 14 victims killed within the truck assault.
Pettifer’s household stated they had been “devastated on the tragic information of Ed’s dying” and described him as “a beautiful son, brother, grandson, nephew and a buddy to so many.”
“We are going to all miss him terribly. Our ideas are with the opposite households who’ve misplaced their members of the family on account of this horrible assault,” the household added.
The U.Okay.’s International Workplace additionally stated it was supporting Pettifer’s household and was involved with U.S. authorities.
Brandon Taylor
Brandon Taylor, 43, of Harvey, Louisiana, was killed when the pickup truck careened down Bourbon Avenue.
Elliot Wilkinson
Elliot Wilkinson, 40, of Slidell, Louisiana, died within the New Yr’s assault. Cecil Wilkinson stated in a message to his little brother, Elliot Wilkinson, on Fb that he was cherished “and you’ll actually be missed.”
“I do know life was arduous for you at occasions. However I wasn’t anticipating to get the telephone name this morning you was one in every of them that obtained hit in New Orleans within the French Quarter,” Wilkinson stated within the submit.
Terrence “Terry” Kennedy
After years working within the service business and upkeep, New Orleans native Terrence Kennedy spent his retirement doing what he cherished: strolling right down to catch the ever-present social gathering within the French Quarter.
“Bourbon is sort of a free social gathering,” his niece, Monisha James, informed The Related Press. “He was having fun with his metropolis that he loved for 63 years.”
James stated her uncle preferred to people-watch across the French Quarter and sometimes sparked conversations with strangers. “That was what he was doing to take pleasure in his retirement,” she stated.
Kennedy had informed his sister on New Yr’s Eve that he was going out. When he did not reply the telephone the following morning, the household spent a frantic day looking out till the coroner confirmed he died within the New Yr’s Day assault.
The household nonetheless does not know if he died from the automobile’s influence or gunshot wounds; all they had been informed is that he was nonetheless alive when he obtained to the hospital.
James, 43, described her uncle as a humble helper and a handyman. Whether or not it was fixing up a home or taking part in together with his nieces and nephews, he was all the time desperate to serve others.
“Only a candy, form, loving, useful particular person that may not hurt anybody,” James stated.
Sadly, sickness had affected his household lately. 4 of Kennedy’s siblings died earlier than him, together with a sister who had handed away a month earlier. The violent nature of Kennedy’s dying shocked the household, on prime of the whole lot they have been by way of these days. Proper now, stated James, they’re supporting one another.
“That is such a shock to our household as a result of by no means in 1,000,000 years would you be capable of inform me that is what occurred to him,” she stated.
Kennedy’s youthful sister Jacqueline Kennedy, 59, stated her brother was identified for his massive coronary heart and his love of sports activities.
“My brother had a form coronary heart. He was loving and caring and giving and he cherished the Pittsburgh Steelers,” she stated.
William “Billy” DiMaio
Billy DiMaio, 25, of Holmdel, New Jersey, was humble and gentled-hearted, so dedicated to household that he had a tattoo that includes all of his cousins’ names, his dad and mom informed NOLA.com.
A New York Metropolis-based account government for the media firm Audacy, DiMaio was in New Orleans to have fun New Yr’s Eve and see mates who deliberate to go to the Sugar Bowl, Tracie and Invoice DiMaio, of Holmdel, New Jersey, informed the information website. His mates escaped damage.
“He was a superb, humble child,” Invoice DiMaio stated. “He cherished life.”
Billy DiMaio grew up on Lengthy Island, New York, earlier than the household moved to New Jersey. He graduated in 2022 from Chestnut Hill Faculty in Philadelphia, the place he was on the lacrosse group and earned a grasp’s diploma.
“He was a pure, gentle-hearted soul,” his mom stated. “He will likely be actually missed.”
He had labored for Audacy since 2023.
“Past his skilled achievements, Billy will likely be fondly remembered for his unwavering work ethic, optimistic perspective, and kindness,” Audacy stated in an emailed assertion.
Hubert Gauthreaux
Hurbert Gauthreaux, 21, of Gretna, Louisiana, was among the many victims, the coroner’s workplace stated.
Archbishop Shaw Excessive College, in Marrero, Louisiana, posted on Fb that Gauthreaux was from the category of 2021.
Gauthreaux “was tragically killed within the mindless act of violence that occurred early this morning within the French Quarter. He was 21 years previous,” the Catholic boys faculty posted Wednesday.
Kareem Badawi
Kareem Badawi, 23, was a College of Alabama freshman when he was killed within the assault. A local of Louisiana and a graduate of the Episcopal College of Baton Rouge, Badawi had began on the Alabama college this fall.
“My son was vigorous,” his father Belal Badawi stated in an interview.
Again residence in Baton Rouge for winter break, Badawi had gone to New Orleans with mates to have fun the brand new 12 months, his father stated. After they noticed the information of the truck assault, they tried to succeed in Kareem, however he did not reply.
“Then I noticed his telephone after I tracked it was within the space that it occurred,” belal Badawi stated. “So, then we knew that is one thing fallacious. He isn’t answering. We drove to New Orleans. We reside in Baton Rouge, we went to the hospital and we waited a couple of hours and the FBI got here with the checklist of all of the casualties.”
Badawi stated he was a beautiful boy.
“I misplaced my son. He is a superb boy,” he stated of his son. “Sadly, his life ended that fast and with no purpose. Simply nothing he did to deserve for any individual to come back and kill him.”
Andrew “Drew” Dauphin
Andrew Dauphin, 26, of Montgomery, Alabama, did within the assault.
Christopher B. Roberts, president of Auburn College in Auburn, Alabama, stated on the social platform X that Dauphin was 2023 graduate.
“Phrases can’t convey the sorrow the Auburn Household feels for Drew’s household and mates throughout this unimaginably tough time,” Roberts stated. “Our ideas are with the Dauphin household and the households of all of the victims of this mindless tragedy.”
Dauphin was a provider course of engineer on the American Honda Motor Firm in Birmingham, Alabama, in accordance with his LinkedIn profile.
Matthew Tenedorio
Matthew Tenedorio of Picayune, Mississippi, was killed within the truck assault, the coroner’s workplace stated.
“He was 25 years previous. He was simply beginning life. He had the job of his desires,” his mom, Cathy Tenedorio, informed NBC Information. “It is simply very unhappy.”
A GoFundMe web page created by a cousin says he was an audiovisual technician on the Superdome.
“He was a beautiful child,” Louis Tenedorio added. “He cherished folks. He cherished animals. He all the time had a smile. So many mates. He had so many mates.”
Cathy Tenedorio stated she had spent New Yr’s Eve with Matthew and one other one in every of her sons.
“We had dinner and we did fireworks exterior, and simply laughing and hugging one another and telling one another we cherished one another,” she stated. She added that they’d tried to dissuade him from going into town.
“They do not take into consideration threat,” she stated.
Nikyra Dedeaux
Zion Parsons, of Gulfport, Mississippi, had been celebrating New Yr’s Eve at his first evening on Bourbon Avenue when a automobile appeared and plowed into his buddy, Nikyra Dedeaux, 18, who he stated had dreamed of turning into a nurse.
“A truck hit the nook and comes barreling by way of throwing folks like in a film scene, throwing folks into the air,” Parsons informed The Related Press. “It hit her and flung her like no less than 30 toes and I used to be simply fortunate to be alive.”
As the gang scattered within the chaos he ran by way of a ugly aftermath of bleeding and maimed victims, listening to gunshots and explosive sounds.
“Our bodies, our bodies all up and down the road, all people screaming and hollering” Parsons stated. “Folks crying on the ground, like mind matter all around the floor. It was simply insane, just like the closest factor to a battle zone that I’ve ever seen.”
Dedeaux had a job at a hospital and was set to begin faculty and start working in direction of her aim of turning into a registered nurse.
“She had her mindset – she did not have the whole lot discovered however she had the plan laid down,” Parsons stated.
Reggie Hunter
A 37-year-old father of two from Baton Rouge, Reggie Hunter had simply left work and headed to have fun New Yr’s with a cousin when the assault occurred, his first cousin Shirell Jackson informed Nola.com.
Hunter died and his cousin was injured, Jackson stated. The coroner’s workplace stated he was from Prairieville, Louisiana.
Martin “Tiger” Bech
Tiger Bech, a 27-year-old former highschool and faculty soccer participant from Louisiana was amongst these killed.
Kim Broussard, athletic director at St. Thomas Extra Catholic Excessive College in Lafayette, informed NOLA.com that Bech attended the highschool, the place he performed large receiver, quarterback, punt returner and defensive again. Bech performed soccer at Princeton College earlier than graduating in 2021.
Marty Cannon, STM principal and former coach of Bech, stated he was charismatic, clever and an extremely proficient soccer participant. He usually returned residence to go to his tight-knit household, shut mates and other people on the faculty. He was residence over Christmas.
“We reside in a comparatively small group right here the place not lots of people depart however many do,” Cannon stated. “I am not stunned in any respect that Tiger may take off from south Louisiana and go off and get a tremendous schooling at a spot like Princeton after which lock himself right into a group up there and simply flourish. He is that type of man.”
Bech has been working at Seaport International. “He was extraordinarily nicely regarded by all people who knew him,” stated firm spokesperson Lisa Lieberman.
Nicole Perez
Nicole Perez was a single mom to a 4-year-old son working arduous to make life higher for her household when she was killed, in accordance with her employer.
Perez, 27, was lately promoted to supervisor at Kimmy’s Deli in Metairie, Louisiana, and “was actually enthusiastic about it,” deli proprietor Kimberly Usher stated in an interview with the AP. Usher confirmed Perez’s dying by way of her sister, who additionally works for her.
Usher stated Perez would stroll within the morning to the deli, which opened at breakfast time, and ask a number of questions in regards to the enterprise aspect of the operations. She additionally was permitted to carry her son, Melo, to work.
“She was a extremely good mother,” stated Usher, who began a GoFundMe account to cowl Perez’s burial prices and to assist with bills for her son that “he might want to transition into a brand new dwelling scenario,” the donation request says.
Injured within the Assault
– Heaven Sensky-Kirsch stated her father, Jeremi Sensky, endured 10 hours of surgical procedure for accidents that included two damaged legs. He was taken off a ventilator Thursday.
Jeremi Sensky was ejected from the wheelchair he was utilizing and had bruises to his face and head, Sensky-Kirsch stated in a telephone interview from a hospital intensive care unit.
“He is speaking proper now,” Sensky-Kirsch stated late Thursday morning.
Sensky, 51, who works within the household’s tree service enterprise, had pushed from his residence in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, to New Orleans to have fun the vacation.
Earlier than the assault, Sensky and two mates had been having pizza, his daughter stated. Sensky left them to return to his resort on Canal Avenue as a result of he felt chilly, she stated.
Sensky-Kirsch stated others may see the attacker coming and had been capable of run out of the best way, however her father “was caught on the highway.” His wheelchair will be seen in some photographs lodged towards a crane.
When he did not return to the resort, they went to search for him, she stated.
“We thought he was useless,” Sensky-Kirsch stated. “We won’t consider he is alive.”
– Ryan Quigley, who was a teammate of Bech’s at Princeton, was with him after they had been struck by the truck. Quigley was injured, in accordance with household and mates.
“Ryan is doing okay. He’s steady and resting within the firm of his household and mates,” the Quigleys stated in an replace on a GoFundMe web page arrange by his mates. “Ryan loves you all. Please preserve the Bech household, the opposite households, and all of these affected by this tragedy in your prayers. Thanks all.”
– College of Georgia President Jere W. Morehead stated on X {that a} pupil was critically injured within the assault and is receiving medical remedy. He didn’t title the scholar.
– The Israeli Ministry of International Affairs stated on X that two Israeli residents had been injured within the assault.
– College of Mississippi Chancellor Glenn Boyce stated Thursday that one of many college’s college students was critically injured in New Orleans. Boyce didn’t determine the scholar.
Jack Brook and Sharon Lurye in New Orleans, Gary Robertson in Raleigh, North Carolina, Emily Wagster Pettus in Jackson, Mississippi, Travis Loller in Nashville and Kimberly Chandler in Montgomery, Alabama contributed to this report. Bellisle reported from Seattle.
Copyright © 2025 by The Related Press. All Rights Reserved.
