Holmdel To Rename Road In Honor Of Resident Killed In New Orleans Attack

HOLMDEL, NJ — Holmdel will officially dedicate PNC Bank Arts Center Access Road to a local victim of the New Orleans attack after the Township Committee passed a resolution to rename the road on Monday.

The dedication comes after Billy DiMaio, 25, was identified as one of 14 people killed when a man drove a pickup truck into a crowd of New Year’s Day revelers on Bourbon Street in January.

According to a report from Nola, DiMaio was visiting New Orleans to celebrate the new year and hang out with friends attending the Sugar Bowl. He was an account executive with Audacy Inc. and a former lacrosse player at Holmdel High School.

Following Monday’s meeting, PNC Bank Arts Center Access Road will officially be renamed as “Billy DiMaio Boulevard,” according to the town’s renaming ordinance.

“I have much respect for the township for finding an awesome way to remember and honor one of our own, Billy DiMaio, a Holmdel Hornet for life,” Holmdel Board of Education President Christian DiMare said at the meeting. “I really, really respect what you all did for that family and Billy.”

Following DiMaio’s graduation from Holmdel High School, he went on to attend Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia, where he continued his lacrosse career as a Griffin from 2018-2022.

In statements from Chestnut Hill College, Holmdel High School, and more, DiMaio has been remembered as a leader within his community, as well as a loving son, brother, teammate and friend.

“Billy played the game with great passion, which was felt by everyone that shared the field with him,” Chestnut Hill College Lacrosse said of DiMaio in an online statement.

“He brought a genuine love for lacrosse and an infectious energy with him everywhere he played from Long Island, to Holmdel, to Chestnut Hill," the statement continued. "The impact he had on our program was profound, but pales in comparison to the unforgettable impression he made on everyone who knew him.”

In a statement posted to their Facebook page, Holmdel High School Boys Lacrosse mourned DiMaio as well, describing him as “a remarkable young man on and off the field.”

“Our lacrosse community has suffered an unimaginable loss,” the statement said. “Billy was a remarkable young man on and off the field. All of us in the Holmdel community are devastated by this sad news. Please keep the DiMaio family in your thoughts and prayers.”

Following the New Year's Day attack, the FBI released a statement and said they are working with their partners to investigate the incident as an act of terrorism.

The driver involved in the attack, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, was accused of driving a rented pickup truck through the crowd before crashing it and shooting at officers. The officers shot back and hit Jabbar, who was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.

In a January update from the FBI, officials said the FBI and their partners are continuing work to determine what motivated Jabbar to drive his truck into the crowd of people on Bourbon Street.

As of Jan. 14, FBI Victim Services said they have identified at least 57 people physically injured in the attack, in addition to the 14 people killed. A total of 136 victims have been identified, including two businesses that suffered damages.

“Thanks to the overwhelming response from the public, the FBI is closer to getting answers for those families who lost loved ones and the other victims of the New Year’s Day attack,” officials said.

To read the full renaming resolution from Holmdel, you can click here.

To watch a full recording of Monday night's meeting, you can click here.

Related

• A Remarkable Young Man: Holmdel Mourns Athlete Killed In New Orleans
• Holmdel Resident ID’d As Victim Of New Orleans Attack: Report