‘All hell broke loose’ on a honeymoon
Victims in Barcelona include a California man on a delayed trip with his new wife.
Jared Tucker was celebrating his honeymoon with his wife in Barcelona when tragedy struck.
The 43-year-old Tucker, from Lafayette, Calif., had been walking with his wife, Heidi Nunes-Tucker, along a crowded walkway when the couple stopped so he could use the restroom, his brother-in-law, Kalani Kalanui, told ABC 7 TV news.
A few moments later, he was killed when a terrorist drove a car into the crowd, Kalanui said.
“All hell broke loose,” Kalanui said. “Heidi was swept up in the terrified crowd and she lost sight of Jared.”
Tucker was among at least 13 people killed in Thursday’s attack on the Las Ramblas promenade in the Spanish city.
Many of the victims came from different parts of the world, including the United States, Belgium and Germany, and from all walks of life. There were young children, mothers, professionals and elderly people.
Scores of people were injured.
Here is some additional information about Tucker and some of the others who were killed.
Jared Tucker, California
Tucker and his wife, Heidi, had been been married for one year, but had not yet been on their honeymoon.
So the California couple set out on a two-week trip to Europe to celebrate their marriage.
His family described him to ABC 7 as a man who was loved by everyone. His father, Dan Tucker, told KGOTV that his son had three daughters and confirmed his death Friday to local news media.
A GoFundMe page has been started for the Tucker family.
“We loved Jared, we love you, and we are grateful that in this time of turmoil in this world we can still band together in a time of need and support each other,” the page says.
Francisco Lopez Rodriguez, Spain
Lopez, 60, was walking on the pedestrian mall with his wife when the van struck him, immediately killing him, according to his niece Raquel Baron Lopez on Twitter. She had reported earlier that he was missing and sent a series of tweets asking people to help track down her uncle.
Lopez was born in Lanteira, southern Spain.
Luca Russo, Italy
Russo, 25, had finished a degree in engineering and recently started a job, according to ASNA news agency. He was traveling with his girlfriend, Marta Scomazzon, who was injured in the attack.
“I fell over and I noticed that Luca wasn’t there anymore. I didn’t see him again. His body was swept away,” Scomazzon told ASNA.
Flags will be f lown at halfstaff in Italy to mourn Russo’s death, Luca Zaia, the regional president of Veneto, Italy, wrote on Facebook. “Veneto loses another of his children,” Zaia said. “A serene and carefree moment has turned into death.”
Russo lived in Bassano del Grappa.
Elke Vanbockrijck, Belgium
Vanbockrijck was a mother of two sons, aged 10 and 14, according to the KFC Heur Tongeren soccer club, where her kids practiced. She was 44.
The team remembered Vanbockrijck as a caring mother and wife who came to the soccer club often with her sons.
“Our deepest sympathies go out to her two little boys, her husband, family and loved ones,” the team said in a statement on Facebook.
Pepita Codina, Spain
Codina, 75, was from the Spanish town of Sant Hipolit de Voltrega. The mayor confirmed her death.
“We are very affected by the death of someone from our town,” Xavier Vilamala said in a statement.
Bruno Gulotta, Italy
Gulotta, 35, was vacationing around Europe with his family. The father of two worked in the marketing and sales sector of Tom’s Hardware in Legnano. He leaves a wife, Martina Gullotta, and two young children.
Friends and colleagues remembered Gulotta as a kind man with a thirst for knowledge.
“He loved to study every aspect of his life and profession,” the company said in a statement.
“He was one of us at Tom’s Hardware, everyone knew who he was.”
ANSA reported that Gulotta had a 7-month-old named Aria and a 6-year-old named Alessandro.
Pino Bruno, the head of Tom’s Hardware, told the news agency that Gulotta had shielded his wife and children during the attack, saving their lives.