"As the facts continue to be pieced together, a picture is emerging of an accident," he said.
Trantalis explained on Sunday that he had initially "feared it could be intentional based on what I saw from mere feet away." In the immediate aftermath, he called it "a terrorist attack against the LGBT community" and claimed the truck had targeted the car of a Democratic congresswoman, Debbie Wasserman Schultz - who was in a convertible waiting to take part in the procession - but narrowly missed her.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected by the unfortunate accident that occurred when the Stonewall Pride Parade was just getting started," he said in a statement Saturday.įort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis, who was at the parade, initially told a local broadcaster he thought the crash was "deliberate." Justin Knight, president of the Fort Lauderdale Gay Men's Chorus, called the incident an "unfortunate accident." "Today we know yesterday's incident was a tragic accident, and not a criminal act directed at anyone, or any group of individuals," the Walton Manors Police Department said in a separate statement. The other remains hospitalised but is expected to survive. The two adult men were transported to a medical centre where one later died, according to the statement.
All three men were members of the Fort Lauderdale Gay Men's Chorus, the police said, adding that the driver was cooperative with authorities.