New Orleans Attack: Who were the victims?

NEW ORLEANS — More than a dozen people were killed and 30 were hurt when a man drove a pickup truck into a crowd in New Orleans French Quarters hours into the new year.

The victims ranged from new high school graduates to a father, a former Princeton football player to a video professional who worked at the Superdome.

Here is what we know about the victims:

Terrence Kennedy, 63, was killed according to his family. His niece Monisha James said they tried calling hospitals in the area when they couldn’t get in touch with him after the attack. They eventually identified his remains on Thursday, CBS News reported.

His family said he was a quiet man and had a large family in New Orleans. WDSU said that Kennedy was a New Orleans native and was the seventh of nine siblings. An avid sports fan, Kennedy, according to his sister, followed the Saints and Kansas City Chiefs, but she said his favorite team was the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to the television station.

Billy DiMaio, 25, grew up on Long Island, New York according to NOLA.com, but moved to Holmdel, New Jersey, where he was a star lacrosse player at Holmdel High School who graduated in 2017. He attended Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia, where he studied business administration and eventually earned his master’s degree in organizational leadership in 2022, ABC News reported. DiMaio was an account executive for Audacy in New York.

Audacy released a statement which read: “Beyond his professional achievements, Billy will be fondly remembered for his unwavering work ethic, positive attitude, and kindness. He was a true asset to the Audacy team, and his contributions and presence will be deeply missed. Our thoughts are with Billy’s family and friends during this exceedingly difficult time, and we extend our deepest sympathies to them and every member of the Audacy family who had the privilege of working with him.”

DiMaio was in New Orleans to celebrate New Year’s and to visit with friends who were going to the Sugar Bowl.

Drew Dauphin was an Auburn University graduate, according to the school’s President Christopher Roberts.

Dauphin was a 2023 graduate of Auburn, according to a post the school made on Instagram.

AL.com reported that Dauphin was a supplier process engineer at American Honda Motor Company Inc., according to his LinkedIn profile.

Nikyra Cheyenne Dedeaux, 18, had family in Gulfport, Mississippi. She was in New Orleans with her cousin to celebrate New Year’s Eve, The New York Times reported. She was supposed to start school at Blue Cliff College this month, majoring in nursing. She died the day after the anniversary of her grandfather’s death. Her mother had begged her not to Bourbon Street this year, she told ABC News.

Reggie Hunter, 37, was a father of two and died from internal injuries. He was with his cousin, traveling to the city from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to celebrate 2025. Hunter was a warehouse manager, his cousin told the Times. Another cousin, Kevin Curry, was injured in the attack. Hunter leaves behind two sons, ABC News reported.

Martin “Tiger” Bech, 27, was a former football player from Princeton University. He was from Lafayette, Louisiana. He graduated in 2021. Bech was a part of the 2016 and 2018 Ivy League Championship Teams, earning two All-Ivy honors for the Tigers, the university said. He was working for Seaport Global, a capital markets firm based in New York City, his mother told ABC News.

Kareem Badawi was a student at the University of Alabama. His father, Belal Badawi posted to Facebook that his son was killed “as a result of a tragic accident in New Orleans.”

Hubert Gauthreaux, 21, was from Marrero, Louisiana. Archbishop Shaw High School, from where Gauthreaux graduated in 2021, confirmed that he had been killed, ABC News reported.

Nicole Perez, 27, was a mom to her 4-year-old son her friend and boss told ABC News. Perez was recently promoted to store manager. She was out with friends in the French Quarter. She was taken to University Hospital where she died, ABC News reported.

Matthew Tenedorio, 25, worked at the Superdome and Smoothie King Center as a fiber optics and video professional. His parents confirmed his death to ABC News. They tried to get in touch with their son on Wednesday morning and talked to his friends who said that they had to split up when the truck crashed into the crowd. When the shooting stopped the group of friends said they couldn’t find Tenedorio. Louis Tenedorio told ABC News, “By noon, I had a good idea that something terrible happened to my son.”

GoFundMe has set up a page of verified fundraisers to help those affected by the attack. Click here for more information.

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