1 dead after truck hit pedestrians at Florida Pride parade

By Andy Rose, Hollie Silverman and Susannah Cullinane, CNN

Authorities say the incident in which two pedestrians were hit by a truck at a Pride parade near Miami Saturday — leaving one dead and the other injured — was a “tragic accident” and not an intentional act.

The 77-year-old driver of the truck “accelerated unexpectedly” before the parade began in Wilton Manors, Fort Lauderdale Police said in a news release Sunday.

The driver was participating in the parade, but had ailments that prevented him from walking, the release said. He had been “selected to drive as the lead vehicle.”

Police said the man’s vehicle started to move forward, then accelerated, striking two people before driving through lanes of traffic and crashing into the fence of a business.

The pedestrians, both men, were taken to Broward Health Medical Center, where one of them died, police said Saturday night.

The driver remained on scene and cooperated with investigators. Police conducted a DUI investigation on the driver and found no signs of impairment, Fort Lauderdale Police said in their Sunday release.

The driver and the pedestrians are all members of the Fort Lauderdale Gay Men’s Chorus, the release said. No arrests have been made and police are not releasing the names of those involved as the investigation continues.

In a statement issued Sunday, Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis said the facts pointed to the incident being an accident rather than a planned attack on the community as he had initially believed.

“I was an eyewitness to the horrifying events. It terrorized me and all around me. I reported what I saw to law enforcement and had strong concerns about what transpired — concerns for the safety of my community. I feared it could be intentional based on what I saw from mere feet away,” the mayor said in a statement. “Law enforcement took what appeared obvious to me and others nearby and investigated further — as is their job.”

“As the facts continue to be pieced together, a picture is emerging of an accident in which a truck careened out of control. As a result, one man died, two others were injured and the lives of two members of Congress were at risk. My heart breaks for all impacted by this tragedy,” he added.

The pedestrians were hit near a vehicle in which US Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz was riding. She tweeted Saturday night, “I am deeply shaken and devastated that a life was lost.”

In a press release Sunday, Wilton Manors Police Chief Gary Blocker thanked law enforcement and first responders for their efforts after the “tragic accident.”

“The Fort Lauderdale Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation collaborated in investigating this incident with a goal of understanding the totality of the circumstances, and to identify if this was an accident or an intentional act. Today we know yesterday’s incident was a tragic accident, and not a criminal act directed at anyone, or any group of individuals,” he said.

The president of the Fort Lauderdale Gay Men’s Chorus, Justin Knight, said in a statement that the group’s “thoughts and prayers are with those affected by the tragic accident that occurred when the Stonewall Pride Parade was just getting started.”

Knight said three people were taken to the hospital, including artistic director Gary Keating, who was treated and released. The remainder of the parade was canceled after the crash.

The chorus is made up of about 25 people and is the longest-established gay men’s chorus in the state of Florida. About half the members of the chorus were at the event Saturday, and they were planning to walk in the procession.

Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony said the men were struck within feet of him and other officers.

“We are devastated having witnessed this horrific incident. I’m proud of all the BSO and local first responders who leaped into action, running into the unknown and instantly provided care for the victims,” Tony said.

Wilton Manors is a Fort Lauderdale suburb that bills itself as having a “strong gay presence,” according to the city’s website, embracing its “reputation as a destination for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community.”

CNN’s Natasha Chen, Kevin Conlon, Francesca Hoffman and Chuck Johnston contributed to this report.