First victim of New Orleans attack is pictured as 18-year-old high school girl

The first victim of the New Orleans attack has been identified as an 18-year-old high school girl. 

Ni’kyra Cheyenne Dedeaux traveled to the French Quarter on Tuesday from Gulfport, Mississippi with her cousin to ring in the new year together.

She is one of at least 15 dead after Shamsud Din Jabbar, 42, drove a white Ford F-150 into pedestrians ringing in 2025 in New Orleans’ French Quarter Wednesday around 3.15am local time. 

Her heartbroken mother, Melissa Dedeaux, 40, told NOLA.com that her daughter was not supposed to be in New Orleans, but decided to sneak away with her 18-year-old cousin and friend, Zion Parsons, also 18. 

Ni’kyra, who was known to her family as Cheyenne, was leaving Voodoo Chicken & Daquiris on Bourbon Street when ‘out of nowhere’ Parsons heard ‘banging’ and ‘commotion’, the victim’s friend told the outlet. 

Melissa’s niece told her that the trio began running after gunfire rang out, as Cheyenne ran into the street into the path of the speeding truck. 

Although the Orleans Parish Coroner’s Office has not yet confirmed Cheyenne’s death, Melissa said she knows her daughter was killed. 

‘As a mother, when my niece and [Parsons} said they covered her [Cheyenne] with a sheet, I just knew that was it for my daughter,’ Melissa said. 

Ni’kyra Cheyenne Dedeaux, 18, is one of 15 victims that were tragically killed in the New Orleans New Year’s Day terror attack on Wednesday morning 

Shamsud Din Jabbar, 42, drove a white Ford SUV into pedestrians ringing in 2025 in New Orleans’ French Quarter Wednesday around 3.15am local time

Her mother, Melissa Dedeaux, 40, told NOLA.com that her daughter was not supposed to be in New Orleans, but decided to sneak away for the holiday with her 18-year-old cousin and friend, Zion Parsons, also 18

‘I just want to see my baby. She was the sweetest person. She would give you anything, anything.’ 

Melissa said Cheyenne was the third oldest of her six children. She recently graduated from Harrison Central High School in Gulfport in 2024 and was set to start at Blue Cliff College on January 13 in the school’s nursing program. 

‘Cheyenne was a very smart and outgoing girl. She’s never gotten into any trouble,’ her grief-stricken mother said. 

‘I didn’t even know she came over here. No matter how good you are, how sweet you are, you can be the one that’s buried. Things like this can happen,’ she added.  

An unidentified student from the University of Georgia has also been left critically injured following the horrific attack, according to the school’s president.  

Although the Orleans Parish Coroner’s Office has not yet confirmed Cheyenne’s death, Melissa said she knows her daughter was killed as her niece ‘said they covered her [Cheyenne] with a sheet’ 

‘At this point, we have learned that a University of Georgia student was critically injured in the attack and is receiving medical treatment,’ President Jere W. Morehead said. 

‘I have spoken to the student’s family and shared my concern, support and well wishes on behalf of the entire UGA community.

‘I would like to express my gratitude to all the first responders who moved so quickly to help those affected by this senseless act of violence, as well as to the medical personnel who are caring for the injured. 

‘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,’ Morehead added. 

Two unidentified Israeli citizens are also amongst at least 35 people injured in the senseless attack. 

None of the other victims have yet been identified.

The FBI is investigating the massacre ‘as an act of terrorism’ and New Orleans mayor LaToya Cantrell described it as a ‘terrorist attack’.

An ISIS flag and weapons were found inside the vehicle, as the FBI continues to assess Jabbar’s connection to the terror group.

An ISIS flag and weapons were found inside the vehicle, as the FBI continues to assess Jabbar’s connection to the terror group

The truck used to kill 15 in the massacre came into the US from Mexico through Eagle Pass, Texas, over a month ago, Fox News reported. It was earlier misreported as two days ago by the outlet. 

The vehicle was rented from Turo – a car sharing app. Another 42-year-old man who listed it lives in Houston and has been contacted by investigators. 

Jabbar was killed in a shootout with officers after he exited his vehicle and started shooting, injuring two NOLA police officers who are in stable condition.

Investigators recovered a handgun and an AR-style rifle after the shootout, law enforcement officials said. 

Authorities investigating the ‘mass casualty incident’ say the driver showed ‘very intentional behavior’ after driving into crowds before he got out and fired a weapon. 

Officials said an improvised explosive device was found in the area. Around 8.30am a ‘small explosion’ went off in the quarter. It was detonated by the bomb squad, WLWT’s Steven Albritton reported. 

Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said the suspect was ‘hellbent on creating carnage.’ No information about his identity has been released. Federal agents will now lead the investigation into the attack.

Videos circulating on social media that appear to have been recorded at the scene shows multiple casualties on the ground as shots ring out in the background

Witnesses claim Jabbar was ‘wearing full body armor’ and ‘armed with an assault rifle’, and officials said he was ‘trying to run over as many people as he possibly could’.

The FBI will now lead the investigation into the attack.

At first, the FBI said that it was not linked to terrorism – before later confirming that the mass fatality indeed is being investigated as such. 

Videos circulating on social media showed a chaotic scene at the tourist hotspot as people ran from the casualty-strewn area while bullets rang out in the background. 

Ambulances rushed the wounded to five hospitals and paramedics, ambulances and vehicles from the coroner’s office were at the scene.  

Following the horrific tragedy, an image of what appears to be a flagpole on the back of Jabbar’s truck circulated online, sparking mass speculation. 

Photos taken after the collision show what appears to be a metallic gray jacket wrapped around a flagpole, but a video shot earlier in the morning showed what appears to be a black flag dangling from the same ‘pole’.

It is unclear if it was placed there before or after the heinous attack.