A horrific attack in New Orleans claimed 14 lives and left over 30 injured on January 1, when a pickup truck was deliberately driven into a crowd celebrating the New Year. The assailant, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old US Army veteran with alleged ties to ISIS, was killed during a shootout with police shortly after the attack.
Victim With Royal Ties: Edward Pettifer
Among those tragically killed was Edward Pettifer, a 31-year-old from Chelsea with close links to the British Royal Family.
Edward was the stepson of Tiggy Pettifer, formerly Tiggy Legge-Bourke, who served as a nanny to Prince William and Prince Harry in the 1990s. Tiggy’s family has maintained a longstanding connection with the royals. Edward’s half-brother, Tom, is one of Prince William’s godsons and played a role as a page boy during William and Catherine’s wedding in 2011.
The Pettifer family expressed their heartbreak in a statement:
“The entire family are devastated at the tragic news of Ed’s death in New Orleans. He was a wonderful son, brother, grandson, nephew, and a friend to so many. We will all miss him terribly.”
Royal Family Mourns Edward’s Death
King Charles III was reported to be deeply saddened by Edward’s death and personally reached out to the Pettifer family to convey his condolences.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Catherine, also expressed their grief. In a statement shared on their official social media accounts, they said:
“We are shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Edward. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Pettifer family and all those innocent people who have been tragically impacted by this horrific attack.”
New Orleans Attack
The attack unfolded on Bourbon Street, one of New Orleans’ busiest and most iconic locations. Witnesses described scenes of chaos as Jabbar drove a pickup truck into a large crowd of revelers.
Jabbar, a former US Army veteran, served as a human resource and IT specialist from 2007 to 2015 and continued in the Army Reserve until 2020. Despite his service background, he reportedly acted alone in the attack, motivated by extremist beliefs. The FBI confirmed his allegiance to ISIS, though they emphasized he had no direct accomplices.
Jabbar had a minor criminal record, with charges for theft in 2002 and driving with an invalid license in 2005. However, these offenses did not hint at the level of violence displayed in the New Year’s attack.
Other Incident in Las Vegas
Adding to the chaos of the New Year, a Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, just hours after the New Orleans attack. The driver, identified as an off-duty US special forces soldier, was the sole fatality. Authorities are investigating potential links between the two incidents, though no connection has been established thus far.
