The Wilton Manors Police Department announced on Twitter that the festival was canceled but that there was no longer any danger to the public. It was definitely an intentional act right across the lanes of traffic.” All of a sudden there was a loud revving of a truck and a crash through a fence. “We were at the start of the parade, right in front of Fort Lauderdale High School. “The truck revved up real fast and just took off,” he said.Ĭhristina Currie, who was attending the parade with her husband and their two elementary school aged children, gave this account to the Sun-Sentinel: A gunman attacked Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, killing 49 people and wounding 53.ĭavid Banter of Naples told the Sun-Sentinel that there were up to 70 people in the area that the pickup drove into. This month marks five years since the single deadliest incident of violence perpetrated against LGTBQ people in the United States took place on June 12, 2016. Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony said on Twitter that he and members of his staff witnessed the incident and were close to the crash scene. The incident took place in front of several South Florida public officials.
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Immediately after the incident, several witnesses told reporters at the scene that the pickup driver appeared to intentionally drive into spectators and narrowly avoided injuring more people.
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The TV station posted a video to Twitter that showed officers walking a handcuffed man to a police cruiser and placing him inside. WPLG-TV reported that the pickup driver was taken into custody.
The driver appeared to be wearing a white T-shirt with the chorus’ rainbow “FTLGMC” logo, according to video from the scene and the Sun-Sentinel. The truck had a Pride flag on it an appeared to be part of the parade. This tragedy took place within feet of me and my BSO team, and we are devastated having witnessed this horrific incident.- Broward Sheriff June 20, 2021 June is Pride Month, commemorating the June 1969 police raid targeting gay patrons at the Stonewall Inn in New York that led to an uprising of LGBTQ Americans and served as a catalyst for the gay rights movement.One person has died and the other remains hospitalized. “This tragedy took place within feet of me and my (Broward Sheriff’s Office) team, and we are devastated having witnessed this horrific incident.” “Though authorities are still gathering information, we know two individuals marching to celebrate inclusion and equality were struck by a vehicle,” Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony said in a statement. Wilton Manors police tweeted Saturday night that the public is not in danger. "It was definitely an intentional act right across the lanes of traffic.” “All of a sudden there was a loud revving of a truck and a crash through a fence,” Currie said. Spectator Christina Currie told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel that she was with her family at the start of the parade. “May the memory of the life lost be for a blessing.” “I am so heartbroken by what took place at this celebration,” she said. In a statement Saturday night, Wasserman Schultz said she was safe but “deeply shaken and devastated that a life was lost.”
Debbie Wasserman Schultz in tears while in a convertible at the parade. Photos and video from the scene showed Democratic U.S. Police said the driver was taken into custody, but it was unclear whether he had been charged. In the immediate aftermath of the crash, Trantalis said he believed the crash was “deliberate.” “We anticipate more details to follow and ask for the community’s love and support.”įort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis said a driver of a pickup truck suddenly accelerated when he was told he was next in the parade, crashing into the victims, according to WSVN-TV. This was not an attack on the LGBTQ community,” Knight said in the statement. The driver and the victims were a part of the Fort Lauderdale Gay Men's Chorus family, according to a statement reported by news outlets from the group's president, Justin Knight. Wilton Manors is just north of Fort Lauderdale. The collision happened during the Wilton Manors Stonewall Pride Parade. Some witnesses said the crash appeared to be intentional, but Fort Lauderdale Police Detective Ali Adamson told reporters that authorities were investigating all possibilities. A driver slammed into spectators Saturday evening at the start of a Pride parade in South Florida, killing one man and seriously injuring another, authorities said.