A 42-year-old US Army veteran drove a pickup truck into a crowd of people celebrating the New Year on January 1, killing 14 people. The accused, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, who owed allegiance to the Islamic State (ISIS), was killed in an encounter with police soon after the attack. The victims included Edward Pettyfer, 31, of Chelsea, who had strong connections to the royal family.
The Pettyfer family said in a statement, “The entire family is devastated by the tragic news of Ed’s death in New Orleans. He was a wonderful son, brother, grandson, nephew and friend to many. We will all miss him greatly. ” statement.
Who was Edward Pettyfer?
- Edward Pettyfer was the stepson of Prince William and Prince Harry’s former maternal grandmother, Tiggy Pettyfer.
- In 1993, King Charles appointed Tiggy Legge-Bourke, now Pettyfer, whose family had long-standing connections to the royals.
- Edward’s half-brother Tom is one of William’s godsons and was a page boy at his wedding to Catherine, Princess of Wales in 2011.
- King Charles expressed grief over Edward’s death on Saturday. “It is understood that the king was deeply saddened and has been in contact with the family to share personal condolences,” local media reported.
- Prince William and Princess Catherine said they were “shocked and saddened” by Edward’s tragic death. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the Pettyfer family and all the innocent people who have been tragically affected by this horrific attack,” a post on the couple’s Kensington Palace social media account said.
attack on new orleans
Jabbar, a former US Army veteran, drove his pickup truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street in New Orleans on Wednesday, killing 14 people and injuring more than 30. The Pentagon said Jabbar served in the Army as a human resources specialist and IT specialist from 2007 to 2015 and then in the Army Reserve until 2020.
The accused also reportedly had a criminal record with two convictions for minor offenses – one for theft in 2002 and another for driving with an invalid license in 2005.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said that Jabbar acted alone, but had strong support from ISIS.
The deadly attack came hours after a high-profile incident in Las Vegas, where a Tesla Cybertruck was blown up outside the Trump International Hotel. According to police, the driver of the Tesla – the only casualty – was an off-duty US Special Forces soldier.
