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In the confusion, it was unclear what happened. Rolli was on the other side of the float and didn’t witness the crash, but jumped off immediately and ran to the victims.
#WILTON MANORS GAY PRIDE PARADE 2021 DRIVER#
The driver continued across all lanes of traffic, ultimately crashing into a fence on the other side of the street, police said. Trantalis said the driver of a pickup truck suddenly accelerated when he was told he was next in the parade, crashing into the victims. Rolli was on the float in front of the chorus truck along with Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis and other city officials at a staging area where the floats were being readied. To my knowledge, this was not an attack on the LGBTQ community,” President Justin Knight said in a statement Sunday, calling it “an unfortunate accident.” “Our fellow Chorus members were those injured and the driver is also a part of the Chorus family. The driver and the victims were a part of the Fort Lauderdale Gay Men’s Chorus family, a small 25-member group of mostly older men. "The early investigation now indicates it looks like it was a tragic accident, but nobody’s saying finally what it is,” Rolli told The Associated Press in a phone interview. The elderly driver had ailments that prevented him from walking, according to a statement Sunday from Fort Lauderdale Police, who said he was cooperating with the investigation and there was no evidence drugs or alcohol was involved. The 77-year-old driver was taken into custody, but police said no charges have been filed and the investigation is ongoing. Wilton Manors Vice Mayor Paul Rolli and Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis said the early investigation shows it was an accident. (AP) - A member of a men’s chorus group unintentionally slammed into fellow chorists at the start of a Pride parade in South Florida, killing one member of the group and seriously injuring another, the group's director said Sunday, clarifying initial speculation that it was a hate crime directed at the gay community. June is Pride Month, commemorating the June 1969 police raid targeting gay patrons at the Stonewall Inn in New York that led to an uprising of LGBTQ Americans and served as a catalyst for the gay rights movement.FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. “This tragedy took place within feet of me and my (Broward Sheriff’s Office) team, and we are devastated having witnessed this horrific incident.” “Though authorities are still gathering information, we know two individuals marching to celebrate inclusion and equality were struck by a vehicle,” Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony said in a statement. Wilton Manors police tweeted Saturday night that the public is not in danger. “It was definitely an intentional act right across the lanes of traffic.” “All of a sudden there was a loud revving of a truck and a crash through a fence,” Currie said. Spectator Christina Currie told the South Florida SunSentinel that she was with her family at the start of the parade. “May the memory of the life lost be for a blessing.” “I am so heartbroken by what took place at this celebration,” she said. In a statement Saturday night, Wasserman Schultz said she was safe but “deeply shaken and devastated that a life was lost.” Debbie Wasserman Schultz makes a call after a truck drove into a crowd of people during The Stonewall Pride Parade and Street Festival in Wilton Manors, Florida, J(Chris Day/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP)