Two participants in a Florida Pride parade were run over by a truck Saturday night, in what the mayor of Fort Lauderdale called a “terrorist attack against the LGBT community.”
One of the victims died from their injuries, and the other is in critical condition, according to WPLG Local 10 News.
The white pickup truck involved in the incident was lined up with other floats when the driver hit the gas and ran over the two would-be marchers at the start of the Wilton Manors celebration around 7 p.m., the station reported.
The driver, who narrowly missed hitting the convertible Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz was riding in, was taken into custody, according to the report.
Police have not announced any charges against the unidentified individual or discussed a possible motive, according to WPLG. The driver claimed to cops the crash was an accident, the station said.
However, Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis, who was at the parade in the gay-friendly Broward County city, told the station he believes the driver was trying to hit the Democratic congresswoman.
“This is a terrorist attack against the LGBT community,” Trantalis told Local 10 News.
“This is exactly what it is. Hardly an accident. It was deliberate, it was premeditated, and it was targeted against a specific person. Luckily they missed that person, but unfortunately, they hit two other people.”
“Due to a tragic event, the Stonewall Pride Parade has been cancelled but the festival events will continue,” the Wilton Manors Police Department tweeted.
The incident comes after other Pride Month attacks against the gay community in southeast Florida.