A devastating act of terror on New Year’s Eve claimed the lives of 15 people, including 18-year-old Nikyra Cheyenne Dedeaux of Gulfport, Mississippi, and 37-year-old Reggie Hunter of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
The attack on Bourbon Street, involving gunfire and a truck plowing through the crowd, injured at least 35 others and left families grappling with unimaginable loss.
Nikyra, a recent high school graduate, was on the cusp of beginning nursing school when her life was tragically cut short. She had traveled to New Orleans to celebrate the New Year with her cousin and friend, who narrowly escaped the chaos. Her mother, Melissa Dedeaux, described her as “the sweetest person” who was generous and full of dreams.
Reggie Hunter, a father of two, had decided on a last-minute trip to Bourbon Street to ring in the New Year. He and his cousin were struck by the truck, leading to Hunter’s untimely death. His family remembers him as a devoted father proud of his children’s accomplishments, including his 12-year-old son’s achievements in STEM.
The tragedy unfolded around 3:15 a.m. on January 1, when 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove a truck into a packed crowd amid gunfire.
Jabbar, a Texas resident, was killed in a shootout with police shortly after the attack. The FBI, in collaboration with local law enforcement, has labeled the incident an “act of terrorism” and is leading the investigation.
GoFundMe campaigns have been established for both families to assist with funeral expenses. Nikyra’s story is a sobering reminder of the lives lost and dreams unfulfilled in the wake of such senseless violence.
