New Orleans attack: Teenage girl and graduate of Princeton University among first victims named
A teenage girl who wanted to be a nurse and a graduate of Princeton University are among the first victims of the suspected terror attack in New Orleans to be named.
Officials have not yet released the names of the 15 people killed after a man drove a pick-up truck into crowds on New Year’s Day but some of their loved ones have started sharing their stories.
Nikyra Dedeaux, 18, died after being struck by the vehicle while celebrating the start of 2025 with her friend Zion Parsons.
Mr Parsons, also 18, has said Ms Dedeaux dreamed of becoming a nurse.
He said: “A truck hit the corner and comes barrelling through throwing people like in a movie scene, throwing people into the air.
“It hit her and flung her like at least 30 feet and I was just lucky to be alive.”
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Meanwhile, Martin “Tiger” Bech was on Bourbon Street when the truck hit him, his mother told Sky News’ US partner network NBC News.
Michelle Bech added that she was able to say goodbye to her son before he died in hospital.
Mr Bech, a graduate of Princeton University, lived in New York City where he was a junior bond trader for a Wall Street Company.
His brother Jack posted on X: “Love you always brother ! You inspired me everyday now you get to be with me in every moment. I got this family T, don’t worry. This is for us.”
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New Orleans suspect ‘says hello’ on old promo vid
It comes as Matthew Tenedorio, 25, was killed after he was shot dead by the attacker who got out of the truck and opened fire after ploughing into crowds, his mother has said.
Cathy Tenedorio, from Carriere in Mississippi, said she had dinner with her son on New Year’s Eve.
She told Sky News: “Matthew and his friends all decided to go into The Quarter. We tried to talk him out of it.
“They were walking down Bourbon Street at around 3:15am when everything happened right in front of them.
“The truck crashed into a construction lift. The man jumped out and started firing the gun.
“My son was killed instantly… I just hugged and kissed him last night. Told him I loved him. He had so much hope, a great future working at the Super Dome stadium in New Orleans. He had the job of his dreams.”
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Moment police react to news of attack
Nicole Perez, a single mother to a four-year-old son, was also among those killed in the attack.
Ms Perez, who was in her late 20s, had recently been promoted to manager in her job at deli and was “really excited about it”, her employer Kimberly Usher has said.
Ms Perez would bring her son, Melo, to work and teach him basic learning skills during her breaks.
“She was a really good mom,” said Ms Usher, who started a GoFundMe account to cover Ms Perez’s burial costs.
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Reggie Hunter
The fifth victim to be named is Reggie Hunter, 37, from Baton Rouge in Louisiana.
His cousin, Shirell Jackson, told NBC News the warehouse manager was an “awesome person” and “a little-bitty guy” with a “big heart.”
He had been with another cousin who survived the attack, she said.
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What we know about the New Orleans attack
ISIS flag recovered from truck
The suspected terror attacker who killed at least 15 people in New Orleans has been identified as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabba, who was born and raised in the US.
Jabbar drove a pick-up truck around barriers and ploughed into a crowd celebrating the New Year early on Wednesday.
Dozens were also injured in what the FBI is treating as terrorism after an Islamic State (ISIS) flag was found on the back of the vehicle.
The attack happened around 3.15am on the intersection of Canal and Bourbon Streets in the city’s French Quarter, an area popular with tourists.
Jabbar died in a shoot-out with police.
Hundreds of alleged Venezuelan gang members have been deported by the White House to a supermax prison in El Salvador, even as a US judge blocked the removals.
US District Judge James E Boasberg issued an order on Saturday temporarily blocking the Trump administration deportations, but lawyers told him there were already two planes with immigrants in the air – one headed for El Salvador, the other for Honduras.
Mr Boasberg verbally ordered the planes be turned around, but the directive was not included in his written order.
Salvadoran police officers escorting alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. Pic: El Salvador’s Presidency Press Office/Reuters
Pic: El Salvador’s Presidency Press Office/Reuters
Pic: El Salvador’s Presidency Press Office/Reuters
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Sunday: “The administration did not ‘refuse to comply’ with a court order.
“The order, which had no lawful basis, was issued after terrorist TdA (Tren de Aragua gang) aliens had already been removed from US territory.”
In a court filing Sunday, the Department of Justice, which has appealed Mr Boasberg’s decision, said it would not use the Trump proclamation he blocked for further deportations if his decision is not overturned.
President Donald Trump sidestepped a question over whether his administration violated a court order while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday evening.
But he added: “I can tell you this. These were bad people.”
Pic: El Salvador’s Presidency Press Office/Reuters
Police officers cut the hair of alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua recently deported by the U.S. government. Pic: El Salvador’s Presidency Press Office/Reuters
Pic: El Salvador’s Presidency Press Office/Reuters
Asked about invoking presidential powers used in times of war, Mr Trump said: “This is a time of war.”
He also described the influx of criminal migrants as “an invasion”.
“Oopsie…Too late,” Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, who agreed to house about 300 immigrants for a year at a cost of $6m in his country’s prisons, posted on X above an article about Mr Boasberg’s ruling.
The immigrants were deported after Mr Trump’s declaration of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which has been used only three times in US history – during the War of 1812 and the First and Second World Wars.
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Tren de Aragua originated in an infamously lawless prison in the central state of Aragua and accompanied an exodus of millions of Venezuelans, the overwhelming majority of whom were seeking better living conditions after their nation’s economy came undone during the past decade.
The Trump administration has not identified the immigrants deported, provided any evidence they are in fact members of Tren de Aragua or that they committed any crimes in the US.
It also sent two top members of the Salvadoran MS-13 gang to El Salvador who had been arrested in the US.
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Video released by El Salvador’s government showed the shackled men – who had their heads shaved – being transported to prison in a large convoy of buses guarded by police and military vehicles and at least one helicopter.
The immigrants were taken to the notorious CECOT facility.
The bar on deportations stands for up to 14 days and the immigrants will remain in federal custody during that time.
Mr Boasberg has scheduled a hearing Friday to hear additional arguments in the case.
A delivery driver who needed skin grafts after being burned when a hot tea from Starbucks spilled into his lap has been awarded $50m (£38.6m) in damages.
Michael Garcia suffered third-degree burns to his genitals, groin and inner thighs and has permanent and life-changing disfigurement after collecting the drink at a California drive-through, according to his legal team.
His negligence lawsuit blamed the injuries on Starbucks, claiming an employee did not wedge the scalding-hot tea firmly enough into a takeaway tray.
Video footage shows Mr Garcia being handed a tray of three drinks at the serving window in Los Angeles and appearing to struggle as he drives his vehicle away.
Incident happened at a Starbucks drive-through in California. Pic: Trial Lawyers for Justice
A Los Angeles County jury found in favour of Mr Garcia after he launched legal action over the incident on 8 February 2020.
He was working as a Postmates delivery driver at the time, according to Sky’s US partner network NBC News.
His lawyer Nick Rowley said his client’s “life has been forever changed”.
“This jury verdict is a critical step in holding Starbucks accountable for flagrant disregard for customer safety and failure to accept responsibility,” he added.
Starbucks said it sympathised with Mr Garcia, but plans to lodge an appeal.
In a statement, the global coffeehouse chain said: “We disagree with the jury’s decision that we were at fault for this incident and believe the damages awarded to be excessive.”
The firm added it was “committed to the highest safety standards” in handling hot drinks.
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US restaurants have faced lawsuits before over customer burns.
In one famous 1990s case, a New Mexico jury awarded a woman nearly $3m (£2.3m) in damages for burns she suffered while trying to pry the lid off a cup of coffee at a McDonald’s drive-through.
A judge later reduced the award and the case was settled for an undisclosed sum under $600,000 (£463,600).
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