“People were really distraught and some people were crying,” said Rolli, who explained that the crash happened in an area where the floats were lining up, so there weren’t as many parade-goers. In the confusion, it was unclear what happened.
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Rolli was on the other side of the float and didn’t witness the crash, but jumped off immediately and ran to the victims.
#FORT LAUDERDALE GAY PRIDE PARADE ACCIDENT DRIVER#
The driver continued across all lanes of traffic, ultimately crashing into a fence on the other side of the street, police said. Trantalis said the driver of a pickup truck suddenly accelerated when he was told he was next in the parade, crashing into the victims. Rolli was on the float in front of the chorus truck along with Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis and other city officials at a staging area where the floats were being readied. To my knowledge, this was not an attack on the LGBTQ community,” President Justin Knight said in a statement Sunday, calling it “an unfortunate accident.”
![fort lauderdale gay pride parade accident fort lauderdale gay pride parade accident](https://pbs.twimg.com/ext_tw_video_thumb/1406396962488864772/pu/img/k9-0ZUgoYnO56v9J.jpg)
“Our fellow Chorus members were those injured and the driver is also a part of the Chorus family. The demonstrations proved to be a turning point in the LGBTQ community's struggle for civil rights.The driver and the victims were a part of the Fort Lauderdale Gay Men’s Chorus family, a small 25-member group of mostly older men. June is Pride Month, which commemorates the 1969 Stonewall riots sparked by repeated police raids on a popular gay bar in New York. Be sure to hug the ones you love tonight." "Our prayers are with the victims and their families. "This tragedy took place within feet of me and my (Broward Sheriff's Office) team, and we are devastated having witnessed this horrific incident," he said. While the parade was cancelled "due to a tragic event", the other festival events continued, it said.īroward County Sheriff Gregory Tony said on Facebook that he had also been at the scene. The Wilton Manors Police Department tweeted Saturday night after the crash that the public was not in danger. "My staff, volunteers and I are thankfully safe," she added. "I am deeply shaken and devastated that a life was lost," she said. Wasserman Schultz said on Twitter that she was "heartbroken" by what had taken place. In the immediate aftermath, he called it "a terrorist attack against the LGBT community" and claimed the truck had targeted the car of a Democratic congresswoman, Debbie Wasserman Schultz - who was in a convertible waiting to take part in the procession - but narrowly missed her. We anticipate more details to follow and ask for the community's love and support."įort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis, who was at the parade, told a local broadcaster he thought the crash was "deliberate". To my knowledge, this was not an attack on the LGBTQ community. "Our fellow Chorus members were those injured and the driver is also a part of the Chorus family.
![fort lauderdale gay pride parade accident fort lauderdale gay pride parade accident](https://cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/YWOV3WJPEBBFFJAQHD2I7DB7YE.jpg)
"Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected by the unfortunate accident that occurred when the Stonewall Pride Parade was just getting started," he said in the statement.
![fort lauderdale gay pride parade accident fort lauderdale gay pride parade accident](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2G4A4YD/fort-lauderdale-gay-mens-chorus-pride-parade-accident-2G4A4YD.jpg)
The driver and the victims are members of the Fort Lauderdale Gay Men's Chorus, according to a statement from the group's president Justin Knight, who called the incident an "unfortunate accident". The other remains hospitalized but is expected to survive, she added. Two adult men were transported to a medical center where one later died, Adamson told reporters in a televised press briefing. The white pickup truck was lined up with other floats for the parade when it accelerated and ran into pedestrians before crashing into a plant nursery, Local 10 News said. The incident happened at the start of the Wilton Manors Stonewall Pride Parade and festival, an LGBTQ celebration in a town near Fort Lauderdale. Police detective Ali Adamson said officials were evaluating all possibilities. While the truck appeared to be taking part in the procession, it was not immediately clear if the crash was a deliberate assault or an accident. The driver of a pickup truck slammed into a crowd gathering for a Pride parade Saturday in south Florida, killing one man and injuring another, authorities said.