NEW ORLEANS (AP) 69制片厂制作传媒 At a Mass celebrated Sunday at New Orleans' St. Louis Cathedral, just blocks from where a man in a church leader acknowledged the sense of unease that remains and asked for prayers for victims and their families.
69制片厂制作传媒淲e can choose to fear," the Very Rev. Patrick Williams told those gathered. 69制片厂制作传媒淥r we can choose to hope.69制片厂制作传媒
Fourteen people were killed and about 30 were injured . The , a U.S. citizen who had proclaimed his support for , was fatally shot in a firefight with police.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry declared a period of mourning that will begin Monday, with a different victim being remembered each day.
The Joan of Arc Parade 69制片厂制作传媒 the first of the city's Carnival season 69制片厂制作传媒 is set to take place on Monday in the French Quarter, an event that an organizer said she hopes will bring a message of hope and resiliency.
69制片厂制作传媒淲e are here. We are celebrating life. We are choosing hope and we are choosing joy,69制片厂制作传媒 Antoinette de Alteriis, a captain of the Krewe de Jeanne d69制片厂制作传媒橝rc, told The Associated Press on Sunday.
Those killed ranged in age from 18 to 63, with most being in their 20s. Here are their stories:
LaTasha Polk
LaTasha Polk, a nursing assistant from New Orleans and the mother of a teenage boy, was the last victim to be identified, according to her family, who gathered at a vigil Saturday evening to light candles. They said the coroner's office informed them Saturday morning. They had been looking for Polk, who was in her 40s, and were grateful for the closure.
69制片厂制作传媒淚t was the wrong call we got, but at least we got the call,69制片厂制作传媒 said LaTasha Polk's cousin, Sebastian Polk. He said he was all out of tears by the time he arrived at the vigil to honor his cousin, whom he described being as close as a sister.
69制片厂制作传媒淓very time you saw her she was smiling,69制片厂制作传媒 said another cousin, Courtney Polk, pressing her hands together in front of her face and holding back tears. 69制片厂制作传媒淚t69制片厂制作传媒檚 hard but we see all the love for her.69制片厂制作传媒
Some of LaTasha69制片厂制作传媒檚 relatives held each other crying on the curb near a cross where they had placed candles for her and other victims.
69制片厂制作传媒淪he was a loving person, and for her life to be taken away 69制片厂制作传媒 unimaginable,69制片厂制作传媒 her aunt Kim Polk said.
Edward Pettifer
The family of a 31-year-old British citizen from London, described him as 69制片厂制作传媒渁 wonderful son, brother, grandson, nephew and a friend to so many.69制片厂制作传媒
His stepmother was a former nanny to the Royal Family, and expressed shock and sadness at the news.
Pettifer69制片厂制作传媒檚 family said they 69制片厂制作传媒渨ill all miss him terribly,69制片厂制作传媒 and that their thoughts were with the families of the other victims as well.
Pettifer was the stepson of Tiggy Legge-Bourke, who was the nanny for both William and his brother, Prince Harry, between 1993 and 1999, including time after the death of their mother Princess Diana in 1997.
Brandon Taylor
Brandon Taylor, 43, worked as a restaurant cook in the New Orleans area and loved music, especially rap. He leaves behind his fiancee, who was with him when he was killed.
69制片厂制作传媒淣o one should ever have to die like that. He didn69制片厂制作传媒檛 deserve it,69制片厂制作传媒 his fiancee, Heather Genusa, 38, told
Taylor was passionate about concerts and rapping, his friend, O’Kieth Gibson, told .
69制片厂制作传媒淗e was a fun-loving person, full of energy,69制片厂制作传媒 Gibson said. 69制片厂制作传媒淗e was a high-spirited person.69制片厂制作传媒
Elliot Wilkinson
Elliot Wilkinson, 40, was from Slidell, Louisiana. Cecil Wilkinson said in a message to his little brother, Elliot Wilkinson, on Facebook that he was loved 69制片厂制作传媒渁nd you will truly be missed.69制片厂制作传媒
69制片厂制作传媒淚 know life was hard for you at times. But I wasn69制片厂制作传媒檛 expecting to get the phone call this morning you was one of them that got hit in New Orleans in the French Quarter,69制片厂制作传媒 Wilkinson said.
Terrence 69制片厂制作传媒淭erry69制片厂制作传媒 Kennedy
After years working in the service industry and maintenance, New Orleans native Terrence Kennedy spent his retirement doing what he loved: strolling down to catch the ever-present party in the French Quarter.
69制片厂制作传媒淏ourbon is like a free party," his niece, Monisha James, told The Associated Press. 69制片厂制作传媒淗e was enjoying his city that he enjoyed for 63 years.69制片厂制作传媒 James said her uncle liked to people-watch and often sparked conversations with strangers.
Kennedy had told his sister on New Year69制片厂制作传媒檚 Eve that he was going out. When he didn69制片厂制作传媒檛 answer the phone the next morning, the family spent a frantic day searching until the coroner confirmed he died in the attack.
James, 43, described her uncle as a humble helper and a handyman. Whether it was fixing up a house or playing with his nieces and nephews, he was always eager to serve others.
69制片厂制作传媒淛ust a sweet, kind, loving, helpful person that would not harm anyone,69制片厂制作传媒 James said.
Sadly, illness had affected his family in recent years. Four of Kennedy69制片厂制作传媒檚 siblings died before him, including a sister who passed away a month earlier.
William 69制片厂制作传媒淏illy69制片厂制作传媒 DiMaio
Billy DiMaio, 25, of Holmdel, New Jersey, was humble, gentle-hearted and so devoted to family that he had a tattoo featuring all of his cousins69制片厂制作传媒 names, his parents told
A New York City-based account executive for the media company Audacy, DiMaio was in New Orleans to celebrate New Year69制片厂制作传媒檚 Eve and see friends who planned to go to the Sugar Bowl, Tracie and Bill DiMaio told the news site.
69制片厂制作传媒淗e was a good, humble kid,69制片厂制作传媒 Bill DiMaio said. 69制片厂制作传媒淗e loved life.69制片厂制作传媒
Billy DiMaio grew up in Long Island, New York. He graduated in 2022 from Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia, where he was on the lacrosse team and earned a master69制片厂制作传媒檚 degree.
He had worked for Audacy since 2023.
69制片厂制作传媒淏eyond his professional achievements, Billy will be fondly remembered for his unwavering work ethic, positive attitude, and kindness," Audacy said in an emailed statement.
Hubert Gauthreaux
Hubert Gauthreaux, 21, was from Gretna, Louisiana, the coroner's office said.
Archbishop Shaw High School, in Marrero, Louisiana, posted on Facebook that Gauthreaux was from the class of 2021.
Gauthreaux 69制片厂制作传媒渨as tragically killed in the senseless act of violence that occurred early this morning in the French Quarter,69制片厂制作传媒 the Catholic boys school posted Wednesday.
Kareem Badawi
Kareem Badawi, 23, was a University of Alabama freshman. He was a native of Louisiana and a graduate of the Episcopal School of Baton Rouge.
69制片厂制作传媒淢y son was full of life,69制片厂制作传媒 his father Belal Badawi said in an interview.
Back home in Baton Rouge for winter break, Badawi went to New Orleans with friends to celebrate the new year, his father said. After they saw the news of the truck attack, they tried to reach Kareem, but he didn't answer.
69制片厂制作传媒淭hen I saw his phone when I tracked it was in the area that it happened,69制片厂制作传媒 Belal Badawi said. 69制片厂制作传媒淪o, then we knew that69制片厂制作传媒檚 something wrong. He69制片厂制作传媒檚 not answering."
69制片厂制作传媒淚 lost my son. He69制片厂制作传媒檚 a good boy,69制片厂制作传媒 Badawi said of his son. 69制片厂制作传媒淯nfortunately, his life ended that quick and with no reason. Just nothing he did to deserve for somebody to come and kill him.69制片厂制作传媒
Andrew 69制片厂制作传媒淒rew69制片厂制作传媒 Dauphin
Andrew Dauphin, 26, of Montgomery, Alabama, was a 2023 graduate of Auburn University, according to a post on the social platform X by Christopher B. Roberts, the Alabama university's president.
69制片厂制作传媒淲ords cannot convey the sorrow the Auburn Family feels for Drew69制片厂制作传媒檚 family and friends during this unimaginably difficult time,69制片厂制作传媒 Roberts said. 69制片厂制作传媒淥ur thoughts are with the Dauphin family and the families of all the victims of this senseless tragedy.69制片厂制作传媒
Dauphin was a supplier process engineer at the American Honda Motor Company in Birmingham, Alabama, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Matthew Tenedorio
Matthew Tenedorio, 25, was from Picayune, Mississippi, the coroner's office said.
His mother, Cathy Tenedorio, arrived early to a Saturday vigil in New Orleans with friends and family. She told The Associated Press that she was moved by the flood of condolences and the graciousness of strangers coming to pay their respects.
69制片厂制作传媒淣ow we have to figure out how to live without him,69制片厂制作传媒 she said, her voice breaking. 69制片厂制作传媒淗e has a beautiful German shepherd that69制片厂制作传媒檚 looking for him, it69制片厂制作传媒檚 the saddest thing, he keeps coming up to me, like 69制片厂制作传媒榃here69制片厂制作传媒檚 Matthew? You smell like him but you69制片厂制作传媒檙e not him.69制片厂制作传媒
A GoFundMe page created by a cousin says Matthew was an audiovisual technician at the Superdome.
69制片厂制作传媒淗e was a wonderful kid,69制片厂制作传媒 Louis Tenedorio added. 69制片厂制作传媒淗e loved people. He loved animals. He always had a smile. So many friends."
Nikyra Dedeaux
Nikyra Dedeaux, 18, of Gulfport, Mississippi, dreamed of becoming a registered nurse, said a friend, Zion Parsons. Dedeaux had a job at a hospital and was set to start college and begin working towards her goal.
69制片厂制作传媒淪he had her mindset 69制片厂制作传媒 she didn69制片厂制作传媒檛 have everything figured out but she had the plan laid down,69制片厂制作传媒 Parsons said.
Parsons, also of Gulfport, was celebrating New Year69制片厂制作传媒檚 Eve on Bourbon Street when a vehicle appeared and plowed into Dedeaux.
69制片厂制作传媒淎 truck hit the corner and comes barreling through throwing people like in a movie scene, throwing people into the air,69制片厂制作传媒 Parsons told The Associated Press. 69制片厂制作传媒淚t hit her and flung her like at least 30 feet and I was just lucky to be alive."
Reggie Hunter
A 37-year-old father of two from Baton Rouge, Reggie Hunter had just left work and headed to celebrate New Year69制片厂制作传媒檚 with a cousin when the attack happened, his first cousin Shirell Jackson
Hunter died and his cousin was injured, Jackson said. The coroner's office said he was from Prairieville, Louisiana.
Martin 69制片厂制作传媒淭iger69制片厂制作传媒 Bech
Tiger Bech was a 27-year-old former high school and college football player from Louisiana. Bech also played football at Princeton University before graduating in 2021.
Kim Broussard, athletic director at St. Thomas More Catholic High School in Lafayette, told that Bech attended the high school, where he played as a wide receiver, quarterback, punt returner and defensive back.
Marty Cannon, STM principal and a former coach, said Bech was charismatic, intelligent and an incredibly talented football player. He regularly returned home to visit his tight-knit family, close friends and people at the school. He was home over Christmas.
69制片厂制作传媒淲e live in a relatively small community here where not a lot of people leave but many do," Cannon said. 69制片厂制作传媒淚'm not surprised at all that Tiger could take off from south Louisiana and go off and get an amazing education at a place like Princeton and then lock himself into a community up there and just flourish. He69制片厂制作传媒檚 that kind of guy.69制片厂制作传媒
Bech worked at Seaport Global. 69制片厂制作传媒淗e was extremely well regarded by everybody who knew him," said company spokesperson Lisa Lieberman.
Nicole Perez
Nicole Perez, 27, was a single mother to a 4-year-old son and worked hard to make life better for her family, according to her employer.
Perez was recently promoted to manager at Kimmy69制片厂制作传媒檚 Deli in Metairie, Louisiana, and 69制片厂制作传媒渨as really excited about it,69制片厂制作传媒 deli owner Kimberly Usher said in an interview with the AP. Usher confirmed Perez69制片厂制作传媒檚 death through her sister, who also works at the deli.
Usher said Perez would walk in the morning to the deli, which opened for breakfast, and ask lots of questions about the business side of the operation. She was permitted to bring her son, Melo, to work.
69制片厂制作传媒淪he was a really good mom,69制片厂制作传媒 said Usher, who started a GoFundMe account to cover Perez69制片厂制作传媒檚 burial costs and help with expenses for her son, who 69制片厂制作传媒渨ill need to transition into a new living situation,69制片厂制作传媒 the donation request says.
Injured in the attack
69制片厂制作传媒 Ryan Quigley, who was a teammate of Bech69制片厂制作传媒檚 at Princeton, was with him when they were struck by the truck. Quigley was injured, according to family and friends.
69制片厂制作传媒淩yan is doing okay. He is stable and resting in the company of his family and friends,69制片厂制作传媒 the Quigleys said in an update on a GoFundMe page set up by his friends. 69制片厂制作传媒淩yan loves you all. Please keep the Bech family, the other families, and all of those affected by this tragedy in your prayers. Thank you all.69制片厂制作传媒
69制片厂制作传媒 Heaven Sensky-Kirsch said her father, Jeremi Sensky, underwent 10 hours of surgery for injuries that included two broken legs. He had been ejected from the wheelchair he was using when the attack happened, Sensky-Kirsch said in a phone interview from a hospital intensive care unit.
Sensky, 51, who works in the family69制片厂制作传媒檚 tree service business, had driven from his home in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, to New Orleans to celebrate the holiday. Sensky and two friends had been having pizza, his daughter said. Sensky left them to return to his hotel on Canal Street because he felt cold, she said.
Sensky-Kirsch said others could see the attacker coming and were able to run out of the way, but her father 69制片厂制作传媒渨as stuck on the road.69制片厂制作传媒 When he didn69制片厂制作传媒檛 return to the hotel, they went to look for him, she said.
69制片厂制作传媒淲e thought he was dead,69制片厂制作传媒 Sensky-Kirsch said. 69制片厂制作传媒淲e can69制片厂制作传媒檛 believe he69制片厂制作传媒檚 alive.69制片厂制作传媒
This story corrects the name of victim to LaTasha Polk, not Tasha Polk.
Bellisle reported from Seattle. Jack Brook and Sharon Lurye in New Orleans, Gary Robertson in Raleigh, North Carolina, Emily Wagster Pettus in Jackson, Mississippi, Travis Loller in Nashville, Kimberly Chandler in Montgomery, Alabama and Jamie Stengle in Dallas contributed to this report.
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