Family, friends mourn victims in New Orleans terror attack: ‘You will truly be missed’
NEW ORLEANS (WVUE/Gray News) – Officials have named 13 of the 14 victims killed in the New Year’s Day terror attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans.
Family, friends, schools and employers are continuing to make statements mourning the tragic losses.
Officials said an Islamic State-inspired suspect deliberately drove a pickup truck through the crowded street, killing at least 14 people and injuring dozens of others, some critically.
After the vehicle stopped, the driver emerged from the truck and opened fire on responding officers, police said.
The driver, 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar, was shot and killed.
The FBI is investigating the event as a terrorist attack.
The Greater New Orleans Foundation has started a donation fund for the victims’ families.
Drew Dauphin, 26
Drew Dauphin, 26, was a recent graduate of Auburn University. The school’s president issued a statement ing Dauphin, who graduated in 2023.
“Words cannot convey the sorrow the Auburn Family feels for Drew’s family and friends during this unimaginably difficult time. Our thoughts are with the Dauphin family and the families of all the victims of this senseless tragedy,” Auburn University President Christopher B. Roberts said.
Matthew Tenedorio, 25
Matthew Tenedorio, 25, worked as an audiovisual technician at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, contributing to countless events and memories. The Pearl River Central High School graduate was ed by loved ones as a lighthearted and positive presence.
“Matthew was always the one to lighten the mood, able to laugh off life’s challenges and spread positivity wherever he went,” said his family in a GoFundMe campaign launched to cover funeral expenses.
Tenedorio is survived by his parents, Lou and Cathy, his siblings Jonathon and Jeremy, and his niece and nephews, Dalila, Dante, Leo, and Felix. The family said they are facing additional financial hardship due to his mother’s recent battle with cancer.
Nikyra Dedeaux, 18
A native of Mississippi, 18-year-old Nikyra Dedeaux was described by her friends and family as a young woman with big dreams of becoming a nurse. She was celebrating New Year’s Eve in New Orleans with her friend Zion Parsons, also 18, who witnessed the attack.
“Bodies, bodies all up and down the street, everybody screaming and hollering,” Parsons recounted, describing the chaos.
He said he watched as authorities put a tarp over Dedeaux’s body. He later called Dedeaux’s family to tell them what had happened.
“I hadn’t had time to cry up until I called her mother, and she asked me, ‘Where’s my baby?’ That broke me,” Parsons recalled, in tears.
Reggie Hunter, 37
Reggie Hunter, a 37-year-old father of two from Baton Rouge, made a last-minute decision to visit Bourbon Street after finishing his shift at work to spend the evening with his cousin.
Hunter and his cousin were both struck by the speeding vehicle. His cousin survived with injuries, but Hunter tragically died from his.
Family described him as a devoted father who had a love for life.
His cousin, Shirell Jackson, said the family is in shock over the loss.
He leaves behind a 1-year-old and an 11-year-old.
Tiger Bech, 27
Martin “Tiger” Bech was a former Princeton University football star and graduate.
The 27-year-old Lafayette native was ed as a standout football player at St. Thomas More Catholic High School. He later went on to play college football at Princeton, where he graduated in 2021.
He was also the older brother of former LSU football player Jack Bech.
“You inspired me every day; now you get to be with me in every moment,” Jack Bech wrote in a heartfelt social media post.
Nicole Perez, 27
Nicole Perez was a single mother to a 4-year-old son working hard to make life better for her family when she was killed in the New Orleans truck attack, according to her employer.
Perez, 27, was recently promoted to manager at Kimmy’s Deli in Metairie, Louisiana, and “was really excited about it,” deli owner Kimberly Usher said in a phone interview with AP. Usher confirmed Perez’s death through her sister, who also works for her.
Usher said Perez would walk in the morning to the deli, which opened at breakfast time and would ask lots of questions about the business side of the operations. She also was permitted to bring her son, Melo, to work, where during breaks she taught him basic learning skills.
“She was a really good mom,” said Usher, who started a GoFundMe to cover Perez’s burial costs and to help with expenses for her son that “he will need to transition into a new living situation,” the page reads.
Kareem Badawi, 18
Kareem Bawadi, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was among the victims killed during the New Year’s Day terrorist attack, according to WAFB.
Bawadi was a 2024 graduate of Episcopal High School in Baton Rouge.
Friends and classmates him as kind and ambitious.
Jimmy Ott, the father of one of Badawi’s closest friends, said the young man will be ed as a smart, popular kid who impacted everyone in a positive way.
“They were best of friends, college roommates, you know the whole thing, pledge class brothers, you know they told each other they would stand in each other’s wedding, you know the whole bit, but they’re part of a big, big kind of a close-knit group,” Ott told WAFB. “Nobody had anything bad to say about Kareem, you know it’s easy to say that when somebody es, but no this is true - he’s a sharp, polished kid.”
Hubert Gauthreaux, 21
A spokesperson for Archbishop Shaw High School confirmed that 21-year-old Hubert Gauthreaux was among those killed in the attack. Gauthreaux graduated from Shaw in 2021 and was ed as a bright and promising young man.
Billy DiMaio, 25
Billy DiMaio, a 25-year-old executive for the media company Audacy, was among the victims killed in the New Orleans terrorist attack.
In a statement, Audacy expressed their sorrow:
“We are heartbroken to learn of the ing of Billy DiMaio, a New York-based Executive, in the terrorist attack in New Orleans. Beyond his professional achievements, Billy will be fondly ed for his unwavering work ethic, positive attitude, and kindness. He was a true asset to the Audacy team, and his contributions and presence will be deeply missed. Our thoughts are with Billy’s family and friends during this exceedingly difficult time, and we extend our deepest sympathies to them and every member of the Audacy family who had the privilege of working with him.”
Terrence “Terry” Kennedy, 63
Terrence “Terry” Kennedy, 63, was born and raised in New Orleans.
In an email statement to WVUE, his sister said he was the seventh of nine children and described him as “very kind with an extremely big heart.”
“He loved people and would do anything for anyone,” his sister wrote.
Kennedy is ed for being an avid sports fan, with his favorite team being the Pittsburgh Steelers. He also loved the New Orleans Saints and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Elliot Wilkinson, 40
Elliot Wilkinson, 40, was identified by his brother as another victim of the attack.
In a public Facebook post, his older brother Cecil Wilkinson said he “was loved and you will truly be missed.”
“I know life was hard for you at times. But I wasn’t expecting to get the phone call this morning you was one of them that got hit in New Orleans in the French Quarter,” his brother wrote.
Brandon Taylor, 43
The New Orleans coroner listed 43-year-old Brandon Taylor of Harvey, Louisiana as a victim killed in the attack.
A photo and further information about Taylor were not yet available as of Friday evening.
Edward Pettifer, 31
London’s Metropolitan Police confirmed they are ing the family of 31-year-old Edward Pettifer. Pettifer, from west London, was identified as one of the victims killed in the attack.
Pettifer was the stepson of Prince William and Prince Harry’s former nanny, Tiggy Legge-Bourke. Legge-Bourke, also known as Alexandra Pettifer, was the nanny for both of the princes between 1993 and 1999.
Prince William released a statement on social media regarding Pettifer’s death. He said he and his wife, Catherine, were “shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Ed Pettifer. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Pettifer family and all those innocent people who have been tragically impacted by this horrific attack.”
King Charles III is also said to be deeply saddened by the news.
The Metropolitan Police and the U.K.‘s Foreign Office said they are ing Pettifer’s family including helping them through the process of returning his body to the U.K.
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The remaining victim killed in the attack has not yet been publicly identified.
Authorities said the victim is a female that officials are still working to identify.
The coroner said all 14 victims died of blunt force injuries.
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