A British man named Edward Pettifer, who was 31 years old and lived in Chelsea, has been confirmed as one of the victims in a terrible vehicle attack that happened on New Year’s Day in New Orleans. He lost his life when a man drove a pick-up truck through a crowd on Bourbon Street, a famous area in the French Quarter of the city.
The police say that Edward was one of at least 14 people who died, and around 35 others were hurt in this shocking attack. The person accused of the attack, named Shamsud-Din Jabbar, drove through the crowd and then got out of the truck and started shooting. Police quickly responded and shot him.
Edward’s family is heartbroken over his death. They shared, “We are all devastated by the news of Ed’s death. He was an amazing son, brother, grandson, nephew, and friend. We will miss him a lot. Our thoughts are with other families who have also lost loved ones in this horrible attack. We ask for privacy to grieve our loss.”
The coroner in New Orleans confirmed that Edward died from “blunt force injuries.” The police are helping Edward’s family to bring his body back to the UK. The Foreign Office is also providing support and is in communication with US officials.
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell expressed her sadness and said, “We are thinking of the victims’ families and are here to support them.” The ages of the victims ranged from 18 to 63, and there is still one person who hasn’t been identified.
The attack happened around 3:15 AM local time on New Year’s Day. The FBI found an Islamic State flag in Jabbar’s truck and some explosive devices nearby. Authorities believe he acted alone during this attack.
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