The ramming attack in New Orleans left at least fifteen dead and 35 injured on New Year's Eve. In the aftermath of the tragedy, the American media began to profile the victims.
Horror in the midst of New Year's festivities. A 42-year-old Texan fatally mowed down fifteen people this Wednesday, January 1 in New Orleans, by driving into the crowd with his pickup on a crowded street in the city's French Quarter .
The suspect, “inspired by Daesh” according to Joe Biden, sowed death in this very touristy area, with a witness describing to CNN a “war zone”.
“It will take several days to complete all the autopsies. Once we are finished and have spoken to the next of kin, we will release the identities of the victims,” New Orleans medical examiner Dr. Dwight McKenna said Wednesday. in a press release.
In the meantime, American media have begun tracing the journey of some of those killed in the attack.
· Martin “Tiger” Bech, 28 years old
Martin “Tiger” Bech, 28, died of his injuries at a New Orleans hospital. He was with a friend on Bourbon Street when the truck hit him, his mother told NBC News.
A 2015 graduate of St. Thomas More High School in Lafayette, Louisiana, and 2021 Princeton University graduate, he worked as a trader at Seaport Global, a cybersecurity company.
An accomplished American college football player, he played as a receiver, quarterback, kick returner and defender,
“I still love you, brother! You inspired me every day and now you are with me every moment,” his brother Jack Bech, a player for the Texas Christian University team, said on X.
“He was a 'tiger' in every way – a fierce competitor with endless energy, a beloved teammate and a caring friend,” said American football coach Bob Surace in a statement.
· Nikyra Cheyenne Dedeaux, 18 years old
Nikyra Cheyenne Dedeaux, an 18-year-old young woman, secretly went to New Orleans with her cousin and a friend to celebrate the New Year.
His friend, Zion Parsons, 18, said the trio was leaving the Voodoo Chicken & Daiquiris restaurant when they heard gunshots. They ran and Cheyenne found herself in the killer's path.
A 2024 graduate of Harrison Central High School in Gulfport, Mississippi, Nikyra Cheyenne Dedeaux wanted to become a nurse.
His mother, Melissa Dedeaux, spoke out on Facebook: “When your parents say don't go anywhere, please listen to them… It was an act of terrorism and now my baby is gone. .. […] I lost my baby just pray for me and my family please!!!”
· Reggie Hunter, 37 ans
Reggie Hunter, 37, died of his injuries in hospital after being struck by the pickup. He was celebrating the New Year with his cousin, Kevin Ball, who was injured and remains in the hospital.
Manager of a store in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, he was the father of two children: Landon, 11 years old and Christian, 19 months.
Another cousin, Shirell Robinson Jackson, told CBS News that Reggie Hunter texted his family at 12:07 a.m. to wish them a happy new year.
· Nicole Perez, 27 years old
Nicole Perez, 27, was killed in the attack, a friend of hers told CBS News. A single mother of a 4-year-old son, Melo, she worked in a restaurant in the town of Metairie, in the northern suburbs of New Orleans. She had recently been promoted to manager of the establishment, owner Kimberly Usher told the AP news agency.
“She was a very good mother,” said Kimberly Usher, who opened an online fundraiser to cover funeral costs and to “help her son meet the expenses he will need” in his new life without her mother.
· Kareem Badawi, 18 ans
Kareem Badawi was a freshman at the University of Alabama, where he entered after attending a Catholic high school in Baton Rouge.
“It is with great sadness and sorrow, and with a heart satisfied with the destiny of Allah, I announce to you the news of the death of my son, Karim Bilal Badawi,” his father Belal wrote on Facebook.
“I learned today that Kareem Badawi, one of our students at the University of Alabama, was killed in the terrorist attack in New Orleans. I share the grief of the family and friends of Kareem for this heartbreaking loss,” also reacted Stuart R. Bell, president of the University of Alabama.
>> More information to come on BFMTV.com
