RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) -- A dance troupe in North Carolina is distraught after an 11-year-old dancer was killed while performing in the Raleigh Christmas Parade Saturday morning.
The young girl was participating in the 78th annual parade when a pickup truck towing a parade float ran over her – and nearly hit several other dancers, Raleigh police said.
The driver of the pickup truck, identified as 20-year-old Landen C. Glass of Goode, Virginia, is now facing several charges, including reckless driving, unsafe movement and carrying a firearm in a parade.
Officers said he was interviewed and cooperated with detectives.
The victim was performing alongside other dancers with CC & Co. Dance Complex. The dance troupe said many of the other young dancers saw the deadly incident, and asked people to "reach out and check on each other."
"This morning's events have devastated us," the dance troupe said in a statement. "We also know many of our young ones witnessed this tragedy and that is hard to fathom as well."
"What we do know is that our hearts are broken and we must find ways to help each other through this," the statement continued. "We never expected to experience a day like today, and the only thing getting us through is the tremendous love and support."
The young victim's name was not immediately released.
Glass was assigned to “driver improvement” in the past and told police he works on the safety systems of cars, according to warrants in the case. He was cited last year in Virginia for improper equipment, speeding and not having a vehicle inspection.
Warrants obtained by Nexstar's WNCN also said the truck involved had improper brakes and equipment not adequate to control the vehicle's movement.
Glass was issued a $4,000 secured bond, according to arrest warrants.
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