The attack which claimed the lives of at least 15 people, while injuring dozens in New Orleans on New Year's Day, has shaken the whole nation. The victims included a renowned American college football player, a young aspiring nurse, a mother of a four-year-old, and a father of two, who is remembered as "the life of the party". 

Forty-two-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar ploughed a truck into a crowd of people celebrating the New Year in New Orleans' Bourbon Street on Wednesday, which killed 15 people while injuring dozens. 

During the attack, Jabbar also shot two police officers, who are now in stable condition. Later, the FBI reported that he was killed in a gunfight with police.

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Who were the victims?

Martin 'Tiger' Bech

A 28-year-old former Princeton football player, Bech, was an All-Ivy League performer who played high school football at St. Thomas More Catholic High School in Lafayette, Louisiana, before getting a scholarship to Princeton University, reported CBS Sports. 

He sustained critical injuries in the Bourbon Street attack incident and was taken to a New Orleans hospital, where he later died. 

Reportedly, he was kept on life support until his family arrived. The university confirmed his death in a statement. "There was no more appropriate nickname of a Princeton player I coached," Princeton football coach Bob Surace said in a statement.

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"He was a 'Tiger' in every way, a ferocious competitor with endless energy, a beloved teammate, and a caring friend."

Nicole Perez

Nicole Perez, the mother of a four-year-old boy, was one of the victims of the deadly incident in New Orleans. She was out with her friends on New Year's Eve when she was struck by Jabbar as he ploughed his truck through the crowd.

Kimberly Usher-Fall, Perez's employer and family friend, confirmed her as one of the victims of the New Orleans attack. 27-year-old Perez is smart and a "good-hearted person", Fall said.

Her boss said that she was excited about a recent promotion to manager at one of Usher Fall's stores. 

Reggie Hunter

37-year-old Reggie Hunter, who was a father of two, also died in the  New Orleans incident on Wednesday morning. 

His cousin Shirell Robinson Jackson described him as "full of life", and said that he messaged his family to wish them a Happy New Year, minutes after midnight. 

"He had gotten off work and headed to Bourbon Street on a whim to ring in the new year with a cousin," his family told The Times-Picayune. 

Jackson added that Hunter and his cousin were both hit by the truck. While Hunter died, the cousin was among the 35 injured who were taken to local hospitals.

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Nikyra Cheyenne Dedeaux

18-year-old Nikyra was an aspiring nurse. Her mother, Melissa Dedeaux, confirmed her daughter's death on social media.

"I lost my baby just pray for me and my family pleaseeeeee!!! God I need you now!!," the mother wrote, along with a photo of her daughter. 

Dedeaux, also a nurse, told the local media outlet that her daughter was about to start her nurse training later this month. She said that Nikita was with a cousin and a friend, who survived the incident.

Matthew Tenedorio

Tenedorio, 25, was an audiovisual technician with a laid-back spirit and "infectious laughter" that brought joy to everyone around him, according to a fundraiser his family set up in his name.

His mother, Cathy Tenedorio, said that she saw her son for the last time at 9 pm on New Year's Eve, and said that she remembered kissing and hugging him. 

(With inputs from agencies)