Source: ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / Getty
New details are emerging about the victims who tragically lost their lives during the New Year’s Eve celebration on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. Louisiana. According to ABC News, 15 people were killed and approximately 30 others injured when Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the suspect, drove through barricades and deliberately crashed into a crowd of revelers ringing in the new year. New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick described Jabbar as being “hell-bent” on causing maximum harm as he sped into the crowd.
Here’s what we know so far about the victims of this horrific incident.
Nikyra Cheyenne Dedeaux, 18
According to NOLA, 18-year-old Nikyra Cheyenne Dedeaux had traveled from Gulfport, Mississippi, to New Orleans with her cousin and a friend on Dec. 31 to celebrate the New Year on Bourbon Street. Little did the nursing student know it would be her final night on Earth.
According to The Associated Press, Zion Parsons, a close friend of Nikyra, was with her when Jabbar’s vehicle barreled into the crowd, striking her directly and throwing her body “at least 30 feet.” Parsons remembered Nikyra as a dedicated student with a deep passion for her studies and a strong ambition to become a registered nurse. She was working in a hospital and was set to begin college.
“She had her mindset — she didn’t have everything figured out but she had the plan laid down,” Parsons said.
Melissa Dedeaux, Nikyra’s mother, described the teen as “the sweetest person” to NOLA. The grieving mother added, “I just want to see my baby…She would give you anything, anything.” Melissa also shared with ABC News that she had a sense of unease about the event and had pleaded with her daughter not to go to Bourbon Street for New Year’s Eve, just as she had the year before.
Reggie Hunter, 37
Reggie Hunter, a 37-year-old father of two from Baton Rouge, was also killed during the vicious attack. According to NOLA, Hunter left work early and headed to celebrate New Year’s on Bourbon Street with a cousin on a whim, according to Shirell Jackson, his first cousin. Hunter died and his cousin was injured, Jackson said.
“They decided to go out there because he came in from work and said, ‘Hey, the Sugar Bowl is tomorrow. It’s New Year’s Eve. Let’s go to the city,’” Jackson said. “Just something so simple. ‘Hey cuz, wanna ride me to the city?’”
Hunter was originally from California but had spent most of his life in the Baton Rouge and Independence areas, according to Jackson. For the past six years, he had worked as a warehouse manager.
A proud member of the Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club, an organization dedicated to uplifting communities in New Orleans, he had been looking forward to attending the group’s annual ball, family members revealed.
Hunter was deeply proud of his 12-year-old son’s achievements in the STEM field and cherished his 18-month-old son. Hunter also enjoyed staying active, often working out with family and friends. Jackson told NewsNation that her cousin was the “life of the party” and had a great sense of humor.
A GoFundMe campaign has been created to raise funds for Hunter’s homegoing service.
Nicole Perez, 27
Nicole Perez, a single mother working tirelessly to improve the lives of her family, was tragically killed in the recent New Year’s Eve attack, her employer confirmed. Perez, 27, had recently been promoted to manager at Kimmy’s Deli in Metairie, Louisiana, and was “really excited” about the opportunity, said deli owner Kimberly Usher-Fall, according to The Associated Press. Usher learned of Perez’s death through her sister, who also worked at the deli.
Usher described Perez as dedicated to both her work and her 5-year-old son, Melo, whom she would bring to the deli during breaks. Perez would often ask questions about the business operations and took time to teach her son basic learning skills. “She was a great mother,” Usher said.
To support Perez’s family, Usher has launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover burial expenses and help provide for Melo, who will need assistance as he transitions to a new living situation.
Perez’s mother Martha Perez, told Today on Jan. 2, that she doesn’t know how she’s going to explain her daughter’s death to Melo. “I love her and now she’s gone and never coming back,” she said, according to PEOPLE. “Her baby, what am I supposed to tell him? I don’t know how I can explain it to him.”
Kareem Badawi
Kareem Badawi, a former student of the Episcopal School of Baton Rouge, was also among those killed in Wednesday’s attack, the school confirmed, according to ABC News. Badawi, who graduated just last year, was attending the University of Alabama at the time of his death, according to a statement from the university’s president.
“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 grieve alongside family and friends of Kareem in their heartbreaking loss,” Alabama President Stuart R. Bell wrote in a statement, according to WVTM 13. “Our staff have been actively engaged in supportive outreach and the Office of Student Care and Well Being is available at 205-348-2461 or bamacares@ua.edu. Please take a moment to pray for those impacted by this tragedy.”
SEE ALSO:
Bourbon Street Terror: Everything We Know About The Deadly Car Attack In New Orleans
Idaho Senate Passes Domestic Terrorism Bill That Could End Up Protecting Homegrown Extremists
