Man Loses Six Family Members In Nice Lorry Massacre

Man Loses Six Family Members In Nice Lorry Massacre

A man lost six members of his family in the horrific lorry massacre in Nice, French media reported.

The man, named as Christophe Lyon, was with his wife, her 28-year-old son, his parents and his parents-in-law when they were killed in the Promenade des Anglais attack, the Republicain Lorrain newspaper said.

The sole survivor was said to be too traumatised to speak.

Francois Locatelli, 82, and Christiane Locatelli, 78, their daughter, Veronique Lyon, 55, and Michael Pellegrini, 28, their grandson, had gone for a brief holiday to the French Riviera. They met up with Veronique's in-laws - Gisele Lyon, 63, and Germain Lyon, 68, who were also killed. Their son, Christophe, was the sole survivor.

The Locatellis were well-known in the township of Longwy in north-eastern France, where Francois had worked as a heating engineer and his grandson taught economics and social studies.

An American father and son are also among those killed in the terror attack in Nice.

At least 84 people, including around a dozen children, died when a terrorist drove a truck through crowds celebrating Bastille Day.

Sean Copeland, 51, and his 11-year-old son Brodie, from Texas, were on holiday when the atrocity took place.

In a statement, the Copeland family said: "We are heartbroken and in shock over the loss of Brodie Copeland, an amazing son and brother who lit up our lives, and Sean Copeland, a wonderful husband and father. They are so loved."

Hill Country Baseball, believed to be a local sports club, wrote on Facebook: "This evening we would like to ask that the HC family keep the Copelands in your prayers.

"This afternoon our very own Brodie Copeland, as well as his father Sean Copeland, were killed during the terrorist attack in Nice, France.

"This photo was sent to me earlier today from the French Riviera ... Nobody deserves this type of fate, especially not such a wonderful family.

"You are in our hearts, thoughts, and prayers. Rest in peace, Brodie and Sean, you will be remembered by many."

The post was accompanied by a photo of a young boy at a beach.

Another person believed to be a victim is a Russian, named in reports as 21-year-old student Victoria Savchenko.

Russian news reports said she was on holiday with her friend Polina Serebryannikova who was taken to hospital with injuries.

According to L'Express newspaper, the first victim to die was a Muslim mother-of-seven who wore a veil.

Fatima Charrihi's son Hamza said she was with nieces and nephews when she was killed and that his brother had tried to revive her but she had died instantly.

He said: "She wore the veil, practising an Islam of the middle ground. A real Islam. Not that of the terrorists."

L'Express published a photo of her residence permit.

Her son added: "She was the first victim, there were no other bodies before her."

The BBC said another French victim was Robert Marchand, a 60-year-old industrial supervisor from Marcigny, a small, rural town in eastern France, who was a parent and a coach at an athletics club.

Linda Casanova Siccardi is one of the two Swiss nationals confirmed to have died. In a 2009 trade union newsletter article she was described as one of the country's first women customs officials.

Emmanuel Grout, 48, the deputy commissioner of the local border police, was off duty and enjoying the fireworks with his girlfriend and her daughter when he was killed.

The high-ranking officer oversaw police operations at Nice's airport, French media said.

The former mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, said in a tribute that France's police had lost "a great personality".

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