Stepson of former royal nanny among those killed in New Orleans attack, King Charles shares condolences

In a statement posted on Instagram, Prince William said he and his wife Kate were “shocked and saddened” by the news.

“Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Pettifer family and all those innocent people who have been tragically impacted by this horrific attack,” he said in the message.

The New Orleans coroner has listed Pettifer’s preliminary cause of death as “blunt force injuries.”

King Charles was deeply saddened to hear of Pettifer’s death and had reached out to his family to offer personal condolences, Reuters reported citing royal sources.

Pettifer was the eldest son of Charles Pettifer and Camilla Wyatt, who separated in the mid-1990s, the Telegraph reported.

Pettifer’s father, a former British Army officer, married Bourke in 1999, shortly after she stepped down from her role as nanny to William and Harry.

New Orleans attack

Fourteen people lost their lives, and at least 35 others sustained injuries when the suspect, identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, allegedly drove a pickup truck into crowds of revellers celebrating the New Year.

The 42-year-old Texan is reported to have exited the vehicle and fired a gun before being fatally shot by police.

The FBI has confirmed it is treating the incident as a terror attack. Law enforcement and intelligence agencies have expressed concern over the potential for copycat attacks.

Emergency services attend the scene on Bourbon Street after a vehicle drove into a crowd on New Orleans’ Canal and Bourbon Street, Wednesday Jan. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

A bulletin, as seen by Reuters, revealed that the FBI, the Department for Homeland Security, and the US National Counterterrorism Centre believe such incidents are “likely to remain attractive for aspiring assailants”.

The New Orleans coroner’s office has released the names of all but one of the victims of the attack. They are: Drew Dauphin, 26, of Montgomery, Alabama; Kareem Badawi, 18, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Brandon Taylor, 43, of Harvey, Louisiana; Hubert Gauthreaux, 21, of Gretna, Louisiana; Matthew Tenedorio, 25, of Picayune, Mississippi; Nikyra Dedeaux, 18, of Gulfport, Mississippi; Nicole Perez, 27, of Metairie, Louisiana; Reggie Hunter, 37, of Prairieville, Louisiana; Martin “Tiger” Bech, 27, originally from Lafayette, Louisiana, and a resident of New York City; Terrence Kennedy, 63, of New Orleans; Elliot Wilkinson, 40, of Slidell, Louisiana; William DiMaio, 25, of Holmdel, New Jersey.