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Some left-wing activists and politicians rushed Saturday to try and exploit what appears to be an accidental crash to score political points.
A driver in a pickup truck reportedly crashed into the participants of a gay pride parade in Ford Lauderdale on Saturday, killing one victim, critically injuring another and reportedly almost hitting Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Democrat.
Following the crash, prominent far-left activists like Amy Spitalnick prematurely described the suspect as a “domestic extremist” and blamed his alleged actions on Florida’s “anti-riot” bill that protects police and citizens from actual extremists.
Signed into law by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in April, the bill grants immunity to drivers who are forced to drive through a mob of violent road-blocking extremists to prevent themselves and their families from being attacked and potentially killed.
Spitalnick wasn’t alone in attacking Florida and its governor.
Look:
There was a car attack at a Pride parade in Florida. One person has already died.
Car attacks are an increasingly prevalent tactic of domestic extremists, as we saw during BLM protests. Yet states like FL are passing laws to try to give cover to those who hit protesters. https://t.co/mfYo32WhGD
— Amy Spitalnick (@amyspitalnick) June 20, 2021
#NeverForget and vote this hateful, dangerous scourge out. #RemoveRon #DeathSantis https://t.co/RJELsac0FI
— Lesley Abravanel (@lesleyabravanel) June 20, 2021
It was only a matter of time. The #DeathSantis law encourages drivers to counter-protest with their trucks.
— Cindy Takaht (@CindyTakaht) June 20, 2021
Now tell everyone about how Governor DeSantis (Q-Florida) recently signed a bill making it legal to do this. #DeathSantis
— Susan Denson (@SusanDenson9) June 20, 2021
This is terrorism inspired by Death Santis. The GOP is completely psycho. Lock him up and throw away the key. #DeathSantis
— Maureen (@SnohoMo) June 20, 2021
#DeathSantis there will be a lot more homicides by vehicle in Florida because of him
MAGAs have been given the green light to murder us down here whenever they feel like it
Murder is not a crime if you are killing democrats in Florida
— SUPER PATRIOT Alison Boxxer 🌊🇺🇸 (@AlisonBoxxer) June 20, 2021
@GovRonDeSantis gives permission via law to plow into folks with vehicles, who can be surprised???? #DeathSantis
— Velma Hubbs (@obamagma) June 20, 2021
Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis meanwhile issued a statement from the scene prematurely ruling that the crash was a “terrorist attack on the LGBT community.”
“What we saw was a terrorist attack on the LGBT community. This is disgusting. We will not stand for this. This is not going to happen in my city or any city,” he said.
Listen:
Asked by a reporter if it was an accident, Trantalis replied, “Hardly an accident. It was deliberate, it was premeditated, and it was targeted against a specific person.”
The actual evidence, which appears to have been ignored by Spitalnick and Trantalis, strongly points to the crash having been a tragic accident.
Video footage of the suspect being arrested showed that he was wearing a Fort Lauderdale Gay Men’s Chorus t-shirt.
Watch:
This is believed to be the driver of the truck, he is in custody.
🎥- @delarosaWPLG #Pride2021 @WiltonManorsCty https://t.co/Uq6sUjHNuM pic.twitter.com/VIC4yGSvZ8— Ian Margol (@IanMargolWPLG) June 19, 2021
In addition, the chorus’s president, Justin Knight, issued a statement Saturday afternoon confirming that the driver was indeed “part of the chorus family,” according to Miami station WPLG.
“Our fellow Chorus members were those injured and the driver was also a part of the Chorus family. To my knowledge, this was not an attack on the LGBTQ community. We anticipate more details to follow and ask for the community’s love and support,” he reportedly said.
Witnesses likewise reportedly overheard the suspect telling the police that it was an accident.
To her credit, Schultz, who was in attendance at the parade and who appears to be a close ally of the Fort Lauderdale Gay Men’s Chorus (she can be seen on their website), made no attempts to exploit the crash for political gain.
Instead the congresswoman posted sincere tweets expressing how “shaken and devastated” she felt over someone losing their life and others being injured.
Look:
I am deeply shaken and devastated that a life was lost and others seriously injured at tonight’s @WiltonManorsCty Stonewall #Pride Parade. My staff, volunteers and I are thankfully safe.
— Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (@RepDWStweets) June 20, 2021
I want to thank our first responders for their heroic efforts as both police and emergency medical personnel stepped into action quickly.
— Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (@RepDWStweets) June 20, 2021
We’re praying for the victims and their loved ones as law enforcement investigates, and I am providing them with whatever assistance I can. I am so heartbroken by what took place at this celebration. May the memory of the life lost be for a blessing.
— Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (@RepDWStweets) June 20, 2021
Local authorities have for their part not reached any definitive conclusion and are still investigating the crash.
“This investigation is active, and we are considering and evaluation all possibilities,” a Fort Lauderdale Police spokesperson said to Miami station WSVN.
The department also released a Twitter statement early Sunday morning asking that the public have “patience as we work to conduct a thorough and complete investigation.”
Today, at the start of the Stonewall Pride Parade a truck struck two pedestrians in the 1700 block of NE 4th Ave. #FLPD & @WMPD411 send our deepest condolences to those injured and to those affected. We ask for patience as we work to conduct a thorough and complete investigation. pic.twitter.com/zV7QUndsSu
— Fort Lauderdale Police (@ftlauderdalepd) June 20, 2021
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