Wilton Manors Pride Parade: ‘Truck plows into Florida crowd, ‘hitting 2 and narrowly missing Rep. Wasserman Schultz’
A MAN is in custody after he allegedly ran over at least two people during a Pride march in Florida on Saturday, according to local reports.
The horrifying incident unfolded during the Stonewall Pride in Wilton Manors, around 10 miles north of Fort Lauderdale, at 7pm local time this evening.
The white pickup truck had been lined up with other floats at the beginning of the parade when it suddenly accelerated and ran over two people taking part in the event.
The two victims are said to be in critical condition. They were both taken to Broward Health Medical Center via ambulance, WPLG’s Ian Margol reported.
Officers were filmed administering CPR to one of the victims in the middle of the street.
Video posted to social media also showed a man being taken into custody that various witnesses and local media claimed to be the driver of the truck.
The man appeared to be wearing a shirt from the Fort Lauderdale Gay Men’s Chorus, with the acronym FTLGMC visible on his back written in rainbow-colored lettering. LGBTQ+ flags were also displayed on the truck.
Speaking to local media, Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dena Trantalis said he was merely yards away when the white pickup truck “dashed right through the crowd.”
Trantalis said that one of the victims has died and the second is “clinging to life.” Police have not yet confirmed the mayor’s claims.
Trantalis said he had been walking alongside a local congressman just seconds after the parade began when he saw the truck suddenly hit the gas.
“We saw people lining up ready to move and all of a sudden this white pickup truck dashed right through the crowd barely missing Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s car by inches.”
According to the mayor, the truck then “smashed through a gate, smashed through a landscaping company and he hit two people.”
He said he believed the incident was “premeditated” and characterized it as a “terrorist attack against the LGBT community.”
The mayor also claimed that the driver attempted to flee the scene but police officers caught up with him and took him into custody.
Police have not yet released any information to suggest the incident was premeditated.
Witnesses said the drive in custody was telling police it was “an accident.”
The circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear.
The truck narrowly missed US Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who was participating in the parade in a campaign-emblazoned convertible.
A reporter for WPLG said that it appeared as though the truck had been aimed for Schultz’s car but “missed” before running over the two victims.
A tearful Schultz was pictured in tears while speaking on the phone inside the car as police descended on the scene.
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried was also at the parade on Saturday, she confirmed in a tweet.
“I’m lucky to be safe, but at least two people were hit and are in critical condition,” she wrote.
“All of us here all praying for them and their families.”
Law enforcement has not yet returned a US Sun request for further information.
The parade has been suspended as police work the scene.
“Due to a tragic event, the Stonewall Pride Parade has been cancelled but the festival events will continue,” Wilton Manors PD wrote in a Facebook post.
“There is no danger to the public,” the department added.
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