NEW ORLEANS — Heartbroken. Numb. Shocked. Those were some of the reactions on social media Saturday night after word spread of another death at a New Orleans Mardi Gras parade.
Police confirmed that a man was struck and killed by a tandem parade float during the Krewe of Endymion parade near North Galvez and Canal Street.
The death is the second in a week during parades in New Orleans. On Wednesday night, 58-year-old Geraldine Carmouche was struck and killed by a tandem float during the Krewe of Nyx parade.
Shortly after the second death, the city of New Orleans announced that all tandem floats would be cancelled in the remaining parades of this season.
People took to Twitter to express their disbelief and sorrow at news of the second fatality.
The victim has not been named yet. Police did say he was an adult male.
The victim was struck by float 14, the Captain S.S. Eddie. According to a tweet by the Times-Picayune, that was the same float that killed a rider in 2008.
The Endymion parade was cancelled after float 13, and all of of the units after that float did not finish parading, according to the city.
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell sent a statement to local media outlets, consoling the public about the accident.
“To be confronted with such tragedy a second time at the height of our Carnival celebrations seems an unimaginable burden to bear. The City and the people of New Orleans will come together, we will grieve together, and we will persevere together,” Cantrell said. “Our hearts break for those lost and for their loved ones, and our prayers and deepest sympathies are with them — and will be with them in all the days and months ahead. May our people take this moment to uplift our brothers and our sisters, to mourn as one and to move forward, together.”
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