Ex-College Football Star, 28, and Father of Two, 37, One of 15 Victims in New Orleans Terror Attack

Seven victims have now been identified among the 15 innocent people who were killed in the horrific New Orleans terror attack. 

A tragic incident occurred in the French Quarter on New Year’s Day involving Shamsud Din Jabbar, 42, who intentionally drove his vehicle into pedestrians, resulting in the deaths of 15 individuals. Among the victims were a former college football star, a high school senior, a father-of-two, and a young mother.

The victims of this senseless attack included Tiger Bech, 28, Ni’kyra Cheyenne Dedeaux, 18, Reggie Hunter, 37, Nicole Perez, 27, Matthew Tenedorio, Kareem Badawi, and Hubert Gauthreaux, 21. These individuals tragically lost their lives during the early hours of New Year’s Day in the French Quarter.

Tenedorio, Gauthreaux and Badawi are the latest to be identified, with Tenedorio’s family launching a GoFundMe to help with funeral expenses. 

The horrifying incident took place when Jabbar drove a white Ford F-150 into the crowd of people who were celebrating the arrival of 2025 in the French Quarter of New Orleans at approximately 3:15 am local time. The vehicle had an ISIS flag attached to it, adding to the shocking nature of the attack.

Bech, who played football for Princeton University, was taken to a New Orleans area hospital after being struck by the vehicle. He was placed on life support until his family arrived, Kim Broussard, the athletic director at St. Thomas More Catholic High School, told KLFY. 

Ni’kyra, who was known to her family as Cheyenne, ran toward the street into the path of the speeding truck after she, her cousin and friend panicked when gunfire rang out.   

Reggie, of Baton Rouge, also died after he decided to go to Bourbon Street to ring in 2025 after a shift at work, his cousin Shirell Jackson told NOLA.com. 

Both he and his cousin were hit by the truck. Reggie died from his injuries, while his cousin is among the at least 35 people injured from the massacre. 

A fourth victim, Nicole, described as ‘a great mother’, was out with her friends for the holiday when the truck hit her. She was taken to University Hospital where she later died. 

A GoFundMe page has been set up in honor of Nicole. As of Wednesday evening, more than $6,400 was raised. 

Tenedorio’s fundraiser has raised over $9,000, with his family saying he was shot in the attack. 

They described him as a beloved son, brother and uncle who had a ‘laid-back spirit and infectious laughter’. He was employed as an audiovisual technician. 

Hubert Gauthreaux’s family had been frantically sharing posts to social media that he was missing in the aftermath of the attack, before revealing he was found dead at a hospital. 

In a statement, his former school Archbishop Shaw High School said: ‘It is with great sorrow that we share that alum Hubert Gauthreaux, Class of 2021, was tragically killed in the senseless act of violence that occurred early this morning in the French Quarter.

‘He was 21 years old. We are asking the entire Archbishop Shaw family to pray for the repose of Hubert’s soul, his family and friends during this difficult time, and all those affected by this tragedy.’ 

Cheyenne was not supposed to be in the city, but decided to sneak away with her 18-year-old cousin and friend, Zion Parsons, also 18, her mother Melissa Dedeaux, 40, told NOLA.com. 

Cheyenne was leaving Voodoo Chicken & Daquiris on Bourbon Street when ‘out of nowhere’ her friend, Zion Parsons, 18, heard ‘banging’ and ‘commotion’, the victim’s friend said. 

Melissa’s niece told her that the trio began running after gunfire rang out, as Cheyenne ran into the street into the path of the speeding truck. 

Although the Orleans Parish Coroner’s Office has not yet confirmed Cheyenne’s death, Melissa said she knows her daughter was killed. 

‘As a mother, when my niece and [Parsons] said they covered her [Cheyenne] with a sheet, I just knew that was it for my daughter,’ Melissa said. 

‘I just want to see my baby. She was the sweetest person. She would give you anything, anything.’ 

Melissa said Cheyenne was the third oldest of her six children. She recently graduated from Harrison Central High School in Gulfport in 2024 and was set to start at Blue Cliff College on January 13 in the school’s nursing program. 

Hunter, a 37-year-old father of two from Baton Rouge, headed to Bourbon Street on a whim once he got off work to bring in the new year with a cousin, according to another cousin, Shirell Jackson.

Tiger’s older brother, Jack Bech, former Louisiana State University and Texas Christian University wide receiver, later confirmed his older brother’s death in a heartbreaking post 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,’ Jack wrote. 

Bech was in New Orleans for the holidays. He graduated from the Ivy League in 2021 with a degree in finance. He worked as a trader at a New York brokerage firm, Broussard shared. 

He played high school football for St. Thomas More Catholic High School as a quarterback, wide receiver, defensive back and punt runner. 

An unidentified student from the University of Georgia has also been left critically injured following the horrific attack, according to the school’s president.  

‘At this point, we have learned that a University of Georgia student was critically injured in the attack and is receiving medical treatment,’ President Jere W. Morehead said. 

‘I have spoken to the student’s family and shared my concern, support and well wishes on behalf of the entire UGA community.

‘I would like to express my gratitude to all the first responders who moved so quickly to help those affected by this senseless act of violence, as well as to the medical personnel who are caring for the injured. 

‘As we continue to hold the victims and their families in our thoughts and prayers, the University will do everything in its power to support those in our community who have been impacted by this unspeakable event,’ Morehead added. 

Two unidentified Israeli citizens are also amongst at least 35 people injured in the senseless attack. None of the other victims have yet been identified.

The FBI is investigating the massacre ‘as an act of terrorism’ and New Orleans mayor LaToya Cantrell described it as a ‘terrorist attack’.

An ISIS flag and weapons were found inside the vehicle, as the FBI continues to assess Jabbar’s connection to the terror group.

Guns and pipe bombs were also located inside the truck, according to a Louisiana State Police intelligence bulletin obtained by The Associated Press. 

The devices were contained in coolers and wire for remote detonation. A remoted control was also discovered inside the vehicle, the bulletin detailed. 

Further potential explosive devices were also found in the French Quarter, and surveillance footage caught three other men and one woman planting the bombs around New Orleans. 

‘We do not believe that Jabbar was solely responsible,’ Alethea Duncan, an assistant special agent with the FBI’s New Orleans field officer said in at a news conference. 

The vehicle was rented from Turo – a car sharing app. Another 42-year-old man who listed it lives in Houston and has been contacted by investigators. 

Jabbar was killed in a shootout with officers after he exited his vehicle and started shooting, injuring two NOLA police officers who are in stable condition.

Investigators recovered a handgun and an AR-style rifle after the shootout, law enforcement officials said. 

Authorities investigating the ‘mass casualty incident’ say the driver showed ‘very intentional behavior’ after driving into crowds before he got out and fired a weapon. 

Officials said an improvised explosive device was found in the area. Around 8.30am a ‘small explosion’ went off in the quarter. It was detonated by the bomb squad, WLWT’s Steven Albritton reported. 

Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said the suspect was ‘hellbent on creating carnage.’ No information about his identity has been released. Federal agents will now lead the investigation into the attack.

Witnesses claim Jabbar was ‘wearing full body armor’ and ‘armed with an assault rifle’, and officials said he was ‘trying to run over as many people as he possibly could’.

The FBI will now lead the investigation into the attack.

At first, the FBI said that it was not linked to terrorism – before later confirming that the mass fatality indeed is being investigated as such. 

Videos circulating on social media showed a chaotic scene at the tourist hotspot as people ran from the casualty-strewn area while bullets rang out in the background. 

Ambulances rushed the wounded to five hospitals and paramedics, ambulances and vehicles from the coroner’s office were at the scene.  

Following the horrific tragedy, an image of what appears to be a flagpole on the back of Jabbar’s truck circulated online, sparking mass speculation. 

Photos taken after the collision show what appears to be a metallic gray jacket wrapped around a flagpole, but a video shot earlier in the morning showed what appears to be a black flag dangling from the same ‘pole’.

It is unclear if it was placed there before or after the heinous attack.