University of Georgia student 'critically injured' in New Orleans attack on New Year's Day
The identities of the 14 people killed and many others injured in the New Year's attack on a New Orleans crowd are becoming public as families share news about their loved ones.
Among those hurt was Elle Eisele, a 19-year-old student at the University of Georgia who was critically injured alongside hometown friend Steele Idelson, also 19, reported the Fort Myers News-Press, part of the Paste BN Network. Both are Fort Myers natives.
UGA President Jere W. Morehead released a statement Wednesday confirming that a student of the university had been wounded in the attack.
Eisele and Idelson were among the dozens of victims injured or killed when an armed man rammed a speeding truck into a holiday celebration early Wednesday morning on Bourbon Street.
Authorities have not disclosed all of the people killed in the attack, but family and friends have identified some of those who were killed as Martin "Tiger" Bech, a 28-year-old former Princeton football player, Nikyra Cheyenne Dedeaux, an 18-year-old who recently graduated high school, father of two Reggie Hunter, 37, and 27-year-old mother Nicole Perez.
The FBI identified Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, as a preliminary suspect in the attack. Jabbar, who was killed by police on-scene, was a U.S. citizen and Army veteran who lived in Texas. He appeared to be carrying an ISIS flag and was dressed in military gear, the FBI said.
Morehead, the University of Georgia president, addressed the incident in a post on X.
"At this point, we have learned that a University of Georgia student was critically injured in the attack and is receiving medical treatment. I have spoken to the student’s family and shared my concern, support and well wishes on behalf of the entire UGA community," the statement read.
"As we continue to hold the victims and their families in our thoughts and prayers, the University will do everything in its power to support those in our community who have been impacted by this unspeakable event."
The Canterbury School, from which both Eisele and Idelson graduated in 2023, independently confirmed their identities via a press statement shared on behalf of the families. They did not provide any additional information on the teens' status as of Thursday afternoon.
Paste BN reached out to the families for comment.
Family thanks public for "love and support"
The Canterbury School shared the statement Wednesday night, saying, "The Eisele and Idelson families are deeply grateful for the outpouring of thoughts, prayers, and offers of support for our daughters following the tragic attack in New Orleans."
"We are especially thankful for the exceptional care and compassion they are receiving at University Medical Center. We also extend our heartfelt gratitude to the first responders, whose swift actions may have saved our daughters’ lives. To everyone who has reached out with love and support, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts," it continued.
The school responded to follow-up questions by saying it is focused on respecting the families' privacy.
File photos found by the News-Press showed Eisele playing on soccer and cross-country teams at Canterbury before beginning college.
Contributing: N'dea Yancey-Bragg, Paste BN