Ed Pettifer, 31, was one of the victims killed in the New Year’s Day attack when a Texas man drove a rented truck through crowds of New Year’s Eve revelers on Bourbon Street in New Orleans — all 14 victims have now been identified.
The tragedy that unfolded in New Orleans in the early morning hours of New Year’s Day has reached across the pond and touched the royal family as all 14 victims have now been identified.
On Saturday, Prince William shared his condolences to his former childhood nanny, Tiggy Legge-Bourke, whose stepson Ed Pettifer was one of the 14 victims killed in the shocking attack. She was also nanny for Prince Harry, working for the family from 1993 to 1999.
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“Catherine and I have been shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Ed Pettifer,” the heir to the British throne shared via his Instagram Stories. “Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Pettifer family and all those innocent people who have been tragically impacted by this horrific attack.”
According to The Sunday Times, King Charles was also made aware that Pettifer had died during the attack and has shared his personal condolences with the family. Harry has also reportedly been made aware.
in the early morning hours of January 1, 2024, Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove his rented pickup truck around a police car barricade and through three blocks of holiday revelers before crashing.
He then got out of the truck and opened fire on police with an assault rifle, per ABC News. Officers returning fire shot and killed Jabbar. Two police officers were injured in the incident. Dozens of people were injured, with 14 confirmed dead.
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On Saturday, the last of the victims was publicly identified. These are the 14 people who lost their lives in this tragic attack.
Kareem Badawi, 23, was a freshman at the University of Alabama, with a major in mechanical engineering. His final message was to his son Belal, wishing him a happy new year. He was a member of the Sigma Chi International fraternity. He was described by his family in a statement as “incredibly smart and dedicated to his studies,” as well as “sweet, loving, and caring, always there for his family and friends.”
Martin “Tiger” Bech, 27, moved to New York City after graduating in 2021 from Princeton University, where he played football, where he worked for Seaport Global, a capital markets firm. His mother told ABC News he was in Louisiana for a weekend of hunting and fishing with college friends.
Drew Dauphin, 26, was a 2023 graduate of Auburn University. His family told ABC News he was on Bourbon Street with his little brother Matthew and family friends Becky Devereux and Karen Keene when the attack happened. “We did not get to spend enough time with him and can’t believe we will never see him again this side of heaven,” the family said in a statement.
Nikya Cheyenne Dedeaux, 18, was described by her mother as kind and outgoing, “very loved.” She told ABC News she had begged her daughter not to go down to Bourbon Street as she’d done the previous New Year’s Eve, worried about the danger of the area. “She was a good person, and even though she was loved by many, it can happen to anybody,” she said.
William “Billy” DiMaio, 25, graduated a star lacross player in 2017 from Holmdel High School before becoming team captain at Chestnut Hill College, leading his teammates to a championship title. He achieved a masters in organizational leadership in 2022 and worked for Audacy’s New York office as an account executive for more than two years.
Hubert Gauthreaux, 21, Was an alumnus of Archbishop Shaw High School in Marrero, Louisiana. He was remembered by family and friends for his love of baseball and his humor. In a statement he was described as “someone who loved deeply, gave generously, and brought joy to everyone who knew him.”
Reggie Hunter, 37, leaves behind two sons, 11-year-old Landon Hunter and 18-month-old Christian Hunter, according to his cousin Diane Macedo, who told ABC News he was always the “life of the party.” She said, “We were expecting so much life to live with our cousin … Just a beautiful person who did not deserve this and had so much more life to live.”
Terrence Kennedy, 63, loved spending time in the French Quarter, according to his sister LaTonya, sharing with ABC News that “he’d get one can of beer and go stand up and talk to everybody,” sometimes for hours. She said she gave him a hug and kiss, telling him Happy New Year’s, just hours before his death.
Nicole Perez, 27, had recently been promoted to manager at her job and was looking forward to this expanded opportunity. She leaves behind a four-year-old son Melvin “Melo,” who she was teaching to read. Her employer and friend, Kimberly Usher-Fall, called her “a great mother,” and “a really exciting little young lady” who “was getting herself together.”
Edward Pettifer, 31, of Chelsea, west London, was the eldest son of former Coldstream Guards officer Charles Pettifer and Camilla Wyatt. After their separation, Charles married Tiggy Legge-Bourke, who served as nanny to Princes William and Harry. Edward was reportedly in new Orleans with a British friend, who was not hurt in the attack, per The Times. His family described him as a “a wonderful son, brother, grandson, nephew and a friend to so many.”
LaTasha Polk, 47, of New Orleans was celebrating the New Year’s Eve holiday in the French Quarter with her brother, Prentiss Polk, who is still missing, according to The Times-Picayune. She is survived by a 14-year-old son Christopher. Polk worked as a nursing assistant after helping to raise many of her eight siblings. “She would give you her last clothes off her back,” said family member Regnicea Butler, who called her “the most humble person ever.”
Brandon Taylor, 43, of Harvey, Louisiana was a musician who loved spending time with family. A family member told ABC News, “We all loved him so much and will miss him constantly. We are all at a loss for words, and it still doesn’t feel real.” He is survived by his parents Joseph and Lucille and a fiancée after his recent engagement.
Matthew Tenedorio, 25, worked as a fiber optics and video professional at the Superdome and Smoothie King Center, according to his parents. They told ABC News he was “a wonderful son” known for his warmth and humor. Matthew last saw his family at dinner before he headed out to celebrate New Year’s Eve with friends.
Elliot Wilkinson, 40, may have struggled with homelessness and mental illness throughout his life and had struggled recently in New Orleans, having been mugged mutiple times. His older brother Cecil told ABC News, though, that it never diminished his kindness to others. He said his brother was trying to be a good father to his daughter and overcome his battle with depression.
