Two individuals in a Florida Pleasure parade have been run over by a truck Saturday night time, in what the mayor of Fort Lauderdale known as a “terrorist assault towards the LGBT neighborhood.”
Others, nonetheless, together with members of a neighborhood Homosexual Males’s Refrain, have maintained the lethal crash was an accident and police mentioned they’re investigating all potentialities.
One of many victims died from their accidents, and the opposite is in crucial situation, in response to WPLG Native 10 Information.
The white pickup truck concerned within the incident was lined up with different floats when the motive force hit the gasoline and ran over the 2 would-be marchers at the beginning of the Wilton Manors celebration round 7 p.m., the station reported.
The motive force, who narrowly missed hitting the convertible Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz was using in, was taken into custody, in response to the report.
Police haven’t introduced any costs towards the unidentified particular person or mentioned a potential motive, in response to WPLG. The motive force claimed to cops the crash was an accident, the station mentioned.
The motive force and the victims are members of the Fort Lauderdale Homosexual Males’s Refrain, in response to the group’s chief, who mentioned the incident was unintentional.
“To my data, it was an accident. This was not an assault on the LGBTQ neighborhood,” the refrain’ president Justin Knight mentioned in an announcement.
“We anticipate extra particulars to comply with and ask for the neighborhood’s love and help.
Nevertheless, Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis, who was on the parade within the gay-friendly Broward County metropolis, informed the station he believes the motive force was attempting to hit the Democratic congresswoman.
“It is a terrorist assault towards the LGBT neighborhood,” Trantalis informed Native 10 Information.
“That is precisely what it’s. Hardly an accident. It was deliberate, it was premeditated, and it was focused towards a particular particular person. Fortunately they missed that particular person, however sadly, they hit two different folks.”
Wasserman Schultz was pictured crying on the scene. In an announcement, she mentioned she was secure however “deeply shaken and devastated {that a} life was misplaced.”
“I’m so heartbroken by what occurred at this celebration,” she mentioned. “Might the reminiscence of the life misplaced be for a blessing.”
A witness informed The South Florida SunSentinal she believed the crash was premeditated.
“Unexpectedly there was a loud revving of a truck and a crash by way of a fence,” Spectator Christina Currie mentioned. “It was undoubtedly an intentional act proper throughout the lanes of site visitors.”
“Because of a tragic occasion, the Stonewall Pleasure Parade has been canceled however the competition occasions will proceed,” the Wilton Manors Police Division tweeted.
With AP wires
