NEW YORK (AP) — A tragic incident unfolded in Central Park on Wednesday when a runaway carriage horse caused a teenager to be thrown to the ground. The young individual has since succumbed to injuries, as reported by the police.
The unfortunate event occurred around 3 p.m., involving an 18-year-old and three others who were passengers in the carriage. As the horse raced uncontrollably, at least two of the riders were ejected from the vehicle, according to the New York Police Department.
Initially, the teenager was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, while the other passengers opted against seeking medical attention.
The Transport Workers Union, representing carriage industry workers, disclosed that the driver had stepped away from the carriage to take a photo of the passengers, an action that is against protocol.
Alexander Kemp, the administrative vice president of the union’s local branch, noted that the horse had only been working in the park for six weeks. He is advocating for a thorough investigation into the incident.
“Safety in the park has been a growing concern among many, and improvements are needed to be made with respect to all vehicles, including e-bicycles, delivery vehicles, pedicabs, and horse-drawn carriages,” he said in a statement.
Video showed the horse sprinting through the park as two people appeared to jump from the four-wheeled carriage. A second video shows the cab toppling over after clipping the wheels of another carriage on the park’s busy loop.
It’s a fraught moment for Central Park’s 150-year-old horse-drawn carriage industry. The industry has long been seen as a quaint attraction that offers tourists a romantic remnant of a bygone New York, while providing hundreds of jobs to drivers, along with many farm and racing horses. But they are now facing the growing threat of a ban from opponents who say the rides are both inhumane to horses and a danger to city residents.
Wednesday’s event follows several recent horse-related problems in the park, including the fatal collapse of a horse last week.
The Central Park Conservancy, the nonprofit which operates the park and came out last summer in support of banning horse-drawn carriages, said the back-to-back events should bring an end to the industry.
“A young man came to enjoy our park and lost his life,” the group said in a statement. “That is not an acceptable cost of an antiquated industry operating in the middle of one of the most heavily used public spaces in America.”
Central Park is nearly 850 acres and attracts millions of people every year.