Former college football star, 28, father-of-two, 37, among 15 victims of New Orleans terror attack

Seven victims have now been identified as among the fifteen innocent people killed in the horrific terror attack in New Orleans.

A former college football star, high school student, father of two and young mother are among the 15 victims killed in the horrific terrorist attack in New Orleans.

Tiger Bech, 28, Ni’kyra Cheyenne Dedeaux, 18, Reggie Hunter, 37, Nicole Perez, 27, Matthew Tenedorio, Kareem Badawi and Hubert Gauthreaux, 21, were killed in the senseless attack on New Year’s Eve in the French Quarter.

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

Horror unfolded after Shamsud Din Jabbar, 42, drove a white Ford F-150 into pedestrians in 2025 The French Quarter of New Orleans Wednesday around 3:15 a.m. local time.

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, known to her family as Cheyenne, ran into the street and 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 deciding to go to Bourbon Street in 2025 to make a phone call after a shift at work, his cousin, Shirell Jackson, told NOLA.com.

Both he and his cousin were hit by the truck. He died of his wounds, while his cousin is among at least 35 people injured in the massacre.

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

A GoFundMe page was founded in Nicole’s honor. As of Wednesday evening, more than $6,400 had been raised.

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

They describe him as a beloved son, brother and uncle with a “relaxed spirit and infectious laugh.” He worked as an audiovisual technician.

Hubert Gauthreaux’s family had been frantically sharing messages on social media that he missed in the aftermath of the attack, before revealing he was found dead in a hospital.

In a statement, Archbishop Shaw High School said of its former school: “It is with great sadness 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 ask the entire Archbishop Shaw family to pray for the repose of Hubert’s soul, his family and friends during this difficult time, and for all those affected by this tragedy.”

Cheyenne wasn’t supposed to be in town but decided to sneak out with her 18-year-old cousin and boyfriend, 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 boyfriend, Zion Parsons, 18, heard “banging” and “commotion,” the victim’s friend said.

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

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

‘As a mother, then my niece and [Parsons] said they covered her [Cheyenne] with a sheet, I just knew this 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 scheduled to start at Blue Cliff College in the school’s nursing program on Jan. 13.

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

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

“I love you always brother! You inspired me every day, now you can be with me every moment. I have this family T, don’t worry. This is for us,” Jack wrote.

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

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

An unidentified University of Georgia student was also seriously injured following the horrific attack, according to the school’s president.

“At this time, we have learned that a University of Georgia student was seriously injured in the attack and is receiving medical treatment.” President Jere W. Morehead said.

“I spoke with the student’s family and shared my concerns, support and well wishes on behalf of the entire UGA community.

“I would like to express my gratitude to all the first responders who acted so quickly to help the victims of this senseless act of violence, and to the medical staff caring for the injured.

“While we continue to keep the victims and their families in our thoughts and prayers, the university will do everything in its power to support those in our community affected by this unspeakable event,” Morehead added.

Two unidentified Israeli civilians are also among 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 terror” and New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell described it as a “terrorist attack.”

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

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

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

More potential explosives were also found in the French Quarter, and surveillance footage showed three other men and a woman planting the bombs around New Orleans.

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

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

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

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

Authorities investigating the ‘mass casualty incident’ say the driver exhibited ‘highly deliberate behaviour’ after driving into a crowd before getting out and firing a weapon.

Officials said an improvised explosive device was found in the area. Around 8:30 a.m. a ‘small explosion’ took place in the neighborhood. It was detonated by the bomb squad, WLWT’s Steven Albritton reported.

Police Commissioner Anne Kirkpatrick said the suspect was “determined to cause carnage.” No information has been released about his identity. 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 possible.”

The FBI will now lead the investigation into the attack.

Initially, the FBI said there was no connection to terrorism, but later confirmed that the mass fatality was indeed being investigated as such.

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

Ambulances rushed the injured to five hospitals and paramedics, ambulances and vehicles from the coroner’s office were on 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 massive speculation.

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

It is unclear whether it was placed there before or after the horrific attack.