An 18-year-old died Wednesday after being hurled from a horse-drawn carriage that bolted out of control in New York City's Central Park, according to the New York Police Department. The tragedy has intensified calls to shut down one of the city's most storied and contested attractions.
The carriage began its run just before 3 p.m., carrying the teenager and three other passengers when the horse broke loose. The driver had stepped off the carriage to photograph the riders—which workers are not permitted to do, according to a representative for the Transport Workers Union, which represents carriage industry employees.
At least two passengers were ejected as the horse sprinted through the park. The other passengers refused medical treatment. The teenager was rushed to a hospital in critical condition but did not survive.
Video footage captured the horse charging through the park while passengers appeared to leap from the moving carriage. A second video showed the cab tipping over after its wheels collided with another carriage on the park's busy loop road.
The horse involved had only been working in the park for six weeks, according to Alexander Kemp, the administrative vice president of the Transport Workers Union's local chapter.
Kemp called for a full 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.
Horse-Related Incidents
The Central Park Conservancy, the nonprofit that manages the park, reported seven horse-related incidents so far this year.The group, which came out in support of banning horse-drawn carriages last summer, said the consecutive tragedies leave no room for debate. "A young man came to enjoy our park and lost his life," the organization 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."
The back-to-back incidents arrive at a critical moment for the carriage industry, which has operated in Central Park for roughly 150 years. Long regarded as a romantic nod to old New York—and a source of employment for hundreds of drivers as well as a second life for farm and racing horses—the business now faces serious legislative pressure.
City officials and advocates have renewed their push for Ryder's Law, proposed legislation that would end the carriage horse trade in New York City entirely. The mayor has previously expressed support for removing horse-drawn carriages from the park.
Central Park spans nearly 850 acres and draws millions of visitors annually.